Celebrate the festival of lights with homemade Hanukkah cards. There is no better way to spread the holiday cheer than with a thoughtful card made by hand. Of course there’s plenty of beautiful cards to be bought, but why not make one by hand? It may seem daunting to make handmade Hanukkah cards, but the process is actually easier than you may think.
The wonderful part of making your own cards for Hanukkah is the amount of personalization you can incorporate into the process. You can tailor each card for its intended recipient and bring a truly joyous smile to their faces. Most importantly, there is no right or wrong when it comes to artistic expression. You can modify each project to match your artistic level and it will still come out beautifully.
Cute Hanukkah Cards
One adorable idea for Happy Hanukkah cards, particularly if you have kids, is to incorporate their handprints into the design. To begin, you will need white cardstock paper, washable paints, and plastic plates or trays. Start by folding the cardstock paper in half widthwise. You now have the framework for your card.
To avoid potential messes, it is best to have a tablecloth protecting the surface of the table you are working on. Open the card and lay it out in front of you horizontally. Choose which color paint you would like to use for the handprints. Blue is a popular Hanukkah color, but you can select any color you wish. Squeeze out enough paint to cover the surface area of your plastic plate.
Next, have your little one carefully dip their entire hand into the paint. They can then place their right hand down on the right hand side of the open card. Their hand placement should put their thumb directly on the folded center line. This step should be repeated for the other side of the card, but they should use their left hand this time and press their handprint down on the left hand side of the card. Once again, their thumb should be placed on the folded center line so that both thumbprints meld into each other.
Take a step back and admire the menorah that has just been created from your child’s handprints. Use gold or yellow paint to draw the flames above each menorah branch. Don’t forget to personalize the card with whatever holiday message you would like to include.
Funny Hanukkah Cards
If witty cards are your thing, there are plenty of ideas for funny Hanukkah cards. One such idea incorporates a popular Hanukkah treat. Latkes, or fried potato pancakes, are a delicious appetizer enjoyed by many. To make your latke-inspired Hanukkah card, you will need a white cardstock paper and a tan-colored cardstock paper. The aged astroparche parchment paper is a great color choice.
Begin by folding your white cardstock paper in half widthwise to create the card. With a pencil, draw three latkes on your tan-colored paper. Simply draw a circular shape with squiggly edges. Next, use a pair of scissors to cut out your latkes. Paste the three latkes onto the front of your card in a stacked design. Underneath, use markers or glitter pens to write, “I love you a latke”. Decorate the rest of the card however you would like.
Vintage Hanukkah Cards
For a more vintage vibe, here is a unique Hanukkah card craft idea. To begin, you will need white cardstock paper and a tea bag immersed in boiling water. Carefully press the wet tea bag against the paper to give the paper an aged look. Once the entire paper has been aged, allow it to fully dry. When it is dry, fold the paper in half to create your card.
Next, you will need eight toothpicks. Glue each toothpick onto the front of your card. Make sure to leave an empty space in the middle, so you should have four toothpicks on one side and four on the other with about an inch of space left between them in the center. Use a calligraphy pen to write “Happy Hanukkah” sideways in that open space. Use a gold glitter pen to draw flames above each toothpick and above your handwritten Hanukkah message for a total of nine flames.
Just like that, you have a vintage Hanukkah card with a unique menorah design. To incorporate that vintage vibe even further, you can carefully drip hot wax onto the envelope flap. Use a dreidel or a Hanukkah coin to press into the wax and create a one-of-a-kind Hanukkah seal.
Hanukkah Pop Up Cards
Pop up cards are sure to make a statement. Their three-dimensional designs are always a treat to behold. To create a Hanukkah pop up card, you will need one sheet of white cardstock paper, one sheet of blue cardstock paper, and a pair of scissors. Begin by folding both pieces of paper in half widthwise. Next, take the folded white paper and cut two slits into the folded side, each slit should be approximately 2.5 inches long and equidistant from each other.
Open the card up and place it vertically in front of you. This particular card will open from top to bottom. Carefully fold the cutout section in the opposite direction so that it is folded outwards instead of inwards, and then fold the top part of the cut-out upwards to create a crease. Next, cut two diagonal lines to create a v-shape at the bottom of the pop-out shape. Do not cut all the way to the point. Leave the bottom of the v-shape attached to the paper.
You now have a pop-up dreidel. Simply draw a letter of the Hebrew alphabet onto the front of the dreidel. You can choose from nun, gimmel, hei, or shin. You can then draw a little stick at the top of the dreidel. Once you have finished, it is time to glue the white cardstock paper onto your blue cardstock paper. Make sure to only glue the parts of the white paper that are not part of the pop-up design.
What To Write In A Hanukkah Card
As you can see, there are plenty of DIY Hanukkah card ideas. However, once you have finished creating the card of your choice, it can be difficult to decide what to write inside. Hanukkah card messages should be festive and joyful to convey the spirit of the holiday. The most popular Hanukkah greeting is the tried and true, “Happy Hanukkah”. However, if you’d like additional ideas on what to say for the actual message, here are some options:
- Wishing you a spectacular Hanukkah filled with light!
- Best wishes for a Happy Hanukkah and a merry holiday season!
- Share the light for the festival of lights!
- May your Hanukkah be filled with lots of love, light, and happiness!
The sky is truly the limit when it comes to what you choose to write for your Hanukkah greeting card messages. Just make sure to personalize it as much as possible, since that is one of the best qualities of homemade cards for Hanukkah. Just be sure to enjoy the process and spread the festive spirit.