Hanukkah and Environmental Stewardship

I am not Jewish, but I do think it is important to teach about the world's religions and what others believe. I also believe very strongly in teaching environmental stewardship. For these reasons, I am starting a new family tradition in our home to celebrate and teach Jewish tradition and also show our spirit for environmental conservation.

Photographed by Chayim B. Alevsky.
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In the spirit of the Hanukkah story of how the sacred oil that was only enough for one day miraculously lasted for eight, I would like to start an eight-day Hanukkah tradition of energy conservation. You could use a menorah or any type of candles or oil lamps in your home for this. (Note that regular oil lamps burn toxic petroleum oil. Olive oil lamps are less toxic.)

I would like to have a celebration where our family uses no lights or electricity for the eight nights of Hanukkah. This means no videos, no Christmas tree lights, and possibly no cooking after dark. Instead, it would be fun to spend time together as a family on those eight nights. Jewish studies would be fun and interesting during this time as would learning about the Amish and Mennonite communities that live without electricity. We could play Jewish games as a family or make Jewish crafts.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Unintentional Art

I meet with a homeschooling group once a week in our area where kids from age 2 to around age 10 get together and do crafts, field trips and science experiments. This week, I had planned for us to make these cute hand print turkeys for Thanksgiving. We did end up with just one little turkey.

But of course the kids had other ideas. Why settle for turkeys? Why settle for just painting your hands? Instead, we ended up with a much more creative and fun child-led project! Afterward, the kids got to play in the water of the hose and the outdoor shower to clean off while the moms discussed how important it is not to fence kids in too tightly when doing art projects. After all, which are the kids going to enjoy and remember more, the day they made a project according to instruction or a day when they got to paint their bodies and play in the water?

Childhood: 1 Mindless Instruction: 0

Easy Printable "Give Thanks" Banner

Older kids can print out this beautiful Thanksgiving Day banner from At Second Street, cut it out and assemble it for Thanksgiving. If you use cardstock, the banner can be used again year after year. This is a great craft for older kids who may want to make something a bit more sophisticated than feather headbands and paper turkey napkin rings.

Green Gift Wrap

Do you want to green your Christmas but just can't give up your pretty pattered wrapping paper? You don't have to! How about buying some beautiful Christmas themed cloth, seaming the edges and using it to wrap your gifts furoshiki style? This beautiful Japanese style gift wrap can be used again and again. Head over to Etsy for their Storque article on how to create these lovely gifts.
In addition to tying, you can sew reusable cloth gift bags for your friends and family. They can reuse the bags as totes or gift wrap. Christmas fabric looks very festive for the holidays and other prints can be used year-round. Check out these cute bags available from Lucky Crow or if you're handy with a sewing machine, make some of your own! Sewing bags and flat pieces of cloth for wrapping is great practice for kids just learning to sew.

Do you have any old canisters? It's easy for kids to make these beautiful recycled gift cans using paper, glue and a little bit of ribbon. These handy cans can be reused again and again. Head on over to Crafty Nest to see how to make them.

Instead of buying plastic made-in-China bows this year, why not make your own gift wrap bows? Check out The Hybrid Chick for directions on how to make this easy craft yourself from wrapping paper, felt or recycled materials.

Here's an oldie but goodie from She Knows Parenting. Wrap gifts using 100% recycled butcher paper or brown paper grocery bags. Use homemade stamps to make your own prints.

Recycled Earth Day Binoculars and Nature Journal

I just love this cute binocular and nature journal set from Our Big Earth made from recycled materials. It reminds me of being a kid and running around with a toilet paper tube, pretending it was a spyglass. This would make a great project for Earth Day or every day!

Recycled CD Clock

If you are looking for a beautiful and unique gift, try making one of these simple CD clocks. Kids can purchase the clockwork kits in almost any craft store and most are very simple to put together. Kids learn about recycling and reusing as well as how clocks work and how they are made. This awesome find came from In the Know. They also have lots of other fantastic ideas (awesome lamp, anyone?) on other ways you can reuse those old CDs rather than send them to a landfill.

Recycled Carton Wallet

How awesome is this wallet made from a used juice carton? It's definitely unique and a fun craft for older kids. What better way to teach about recycling and reusing old things? Head on over to the Disney Family Fun site to see the tutorial on how to make one of your own.

3D Paper Ornaments

These three-dimensional paper Christmas tree ornaments from How About Orange would be a great project for a beginner sewer. The ornaments can be made from colored paper as well as recycled magazines and junk mail. Try using wallpaper samples or wrapping paper. You could even reuse something sturdier such as old gift bags. I'm excited to try my hand at them using felt for something a bit more permanent and heirloom-quality.

Recycled Bottle Cap Magnets

I love these fun and adorable magnets featured by the Disney Family Fun website and made from recycled bottle caps. In some areas, bottle caps are not recyclable. What a fun way to reuse them! Best of all, you can make them from things that you probably already have laying around your house. Now I know exactly what to do with all of those Virgil's Rootbeer caps my husband has been collecting.