This year Hanukkah (also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication) is December 2 - December 10, which means prep time is right about...now. If you and / or your loved ones are gearing up to celebrate Hanukkah, consider freshening things up a little when it comes to this year's decor with some of the ideas below.
The traditional colors of Hanukkah are, of course, blue and white (and often silver). With such a simple yet beautiful palette of colors, you can really let your imagination soar when it comes to what decor to use. Something like this blue and white beaded garland from Pier One can really make otherwise blah areas of your home really pop:
A fun way to cover your walls with some color is with something like this vertical garland on Etsy from Fabulously Homemade (although considering it's basically just card stock circles hung on heavy string, you could probably make it yourself in a pinch.)
It's also very easy to incorporate the blue / white / silver color scheme into your decor through table setting options like this blue Libbey glassware from Wal-Mart:
and these gorgeous silver and white beaded napkin rings from Pier One:
You can, of course, do exactly the opposite in some areas and put a lot of focus on the holiday's iconic imagery (dreidels, gelt coins, the menorah, etc).
This lighted garland from The Kit Cut on Etsy is a lovely way to (literally) string the Hanukkah symbols together (or you can make your own version with some paper, string lights, and creative scissor work).
A popular treat with kids and adults alike during Hanukkah is (unsurprisingly) chocolate gelt coins. You can give them as wrapped treats, use them as table scatter, or even put together something like the beautiful centerpiece below from Felt So Cute made with a clear vase filled with gelt coins and topped with roses. You can check out multiple options for getting chocolate gelt coins on Amazon here.
These stylish DIY paper dreidels from Design Megillah are an excellent way to welcome guests to your door (you can get the printable template for them here and can resize it to whatever dimensions fit with your decor plans):
If you want to combine some natural elements into your decorations, try grabbing some bendy branches from your local craft store (or the back yard!) and hanging them with some of these DIY Hanukkah ornaments from Fiskars (instructions here).
An easy and fun activity to do with the kids is to make this Star of David bunting (using popsicle sticks and yarn) from PunkTorah. You can stick with the traditional blue / white / silver or go for something brighter:
Another decor option is this much-less-easy but quite striking manzanita-branch menorah from Martha Stewart (instructions here) that not only adds some shimmer and sparkle to your decor but gives you a chance to mix things up a little with your menorah setup.
Whether your decorations are simple, complex, fun, elegant, or a mix of everything together, putting them throughout your home is a wonderful way to get yourself in the mindset of the holiday and to bond with those you love most as you prepare to celebrate it together.