Chanukah On The Brain

2005 - Erin made this in preschool

2006 - Debbie & Ed gave us the silver one & Erin made the other one while she was crafting one day

2007 - Erin made this in Kindergarten

2008 - This was the one David got from his Aunt Hela

And so it begins . . .

Each year since we got married, David & I have to decide which Chanukah menorah to use.  We have quite the collection.  In fact, at last count, we had 17 menorahs.  It really did happen quite by accident, but we seem to have a collection.  Each piece means something to us.

Let's see.  We have:

1. The electric menorah that stays in our front window day in & day out.  I just never bother to take it down.  The neighbors might have an uprising if it went missing.
2. The tiny menorah that uses birthday candles.  My parents bought that for me when I was 5 or 6.  It went off to college with me.
3. The menorah that David inherited from his Aunt Hela.  It's a very traditional menorah but he really feels a connection to it.
4. The ceramic menorah that my aunt made for my mom when I was 10.
5. The ceramic menorah that my friend Mona made for me about 15 years ago.  It's an exact replica of the one my aunt made for my mom.  Apparently ceramics molds haven't changed much.
6. The menorah I received a number of years ago from a set of twins I had in one of my classes.  So pretty!
7. The pewter oil menorah my in-laws bought for us in Israel when Erin was 3.
8. The felt menorah Erin made when she was in preschool.  We keep that on our walls year-round also.  Erin likes to walk past it & see it.  She needs that sense of history & past so we give it to her in small ways.
9. The sand art menorah Erin made when she was in Kindergarten.
10. The ceramic menorah that Erin made a few years ago when she was crafting at home.
11. The silver toned menorah that our friend Debbie & her ex gave us.
12. The absolutely teeny tiny copper menorah that I used to keep on my desk at the bank during the holiday season. 
13. The 2 menorahs that David & I currently take into our offices for the holiday season.
14. The really ugly brass menorah that a very dear client gave me.
15. The beautiful driftwood & ceramic menorah that my sister-in-law Mindy gave to Erin for her very first Chanukah home.  This is a collector's item that Mindy saved just for Erin.
16.  The menorah that I purchased from Brighton this past year.  It is absolutely stunning.  We're planning on using this one this year.  Unless we come across a new one that tempts us!

You know?  I think I need to take a picture of our collection.  Hmmm . . .