It's Time for Hanukkah!

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

On December 6^th, we began the celebration of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is an eight day holiday often celebrated by Jewish people who give gifts and light the menorah. The menorah is an eight pronged candelabra – each candle is lit for every night of Hanukkah. Now granted, while I’m not Jewish I do respect other people’s holidays and customs because everyone celebrates the holidays in accordance with their cultures, religions, and beliefs.  But I will say in the past years of surfing the web, I have found some excellent menorah designs.

5.The Blown Menorah

This glass blown menorah has blown my mind with how the glass details seemingly hang in the air. Each intricate circle supports the eight prongs that hold candles for those long eight nights. This menorah appears as though it’s transparent and floating, but speckled with beautiful shades like ghosts of many Hanukkahs past and many Hanukkahs to come.

4. The Wooden Menorah

The modern menorah where you can shift the tiles into any shape you want like a camel, a bird, a person, or whatever your mind decides.  This menorah is suitable for anyone of any age because it reminds them of this special holiday and the wonder it invokes from childhood to adulthood. 

3. Menorahsaurus Rex

The menorahsaurus rex is the most fearsome of menorahs with its gaping jaws and golden frame. This menorah rises above other animal based menorahs, knowing it could easily tear them apart. Each flame added to this menorah will not only make it appear fierce, but also remind you of the endless flames that live on just like the fossils of dinosaurs. 

2. Steam-menorah Punk

Steampunk is a style crafted from the Victorian days where steam was used to power everything from carriages to lights. It is design featuring gears, varying shades of brown, brass, and gold, and can be found almost everywhere in our modern culture. A steampunk menorah is no exception. Designed in the industrial iconic steampunk style, this menorah uses little base lights to ignite for each night of Hanukkah.

1. To Boldly Go Where no Menorah Has Gone Before

Every season is the season for “Star Trek” especially winter. Why winter? Because you get to use this “Star Trek” menorah of course! Unlike other menorahs it’s sparked with miniature lights attached to the heads of some of your favorite characters. Not only do you get to celebrate this joyous holiday, you get to do it in an interstellar Trekkie fashion.


Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, how do you celebrate Hanukkah?

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful...

Welcome to another start of the week at The Magical Mystery Blog.

Yesterday New Jersey received the first snowfall of December 2013. Schools were closed, finals were halted, and people awoke to a white wonderland just outside their homes.  Some even tossed themselves into the wintry world and probably started a snowball fight or constructed snowmen from the freshly fallen snow.

I love snow but there are times when I would love to take a flamethrower to it.  Below are the reasons why I have a love/hate relationship for snow.

The Love

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• No school, no finals, no work. Who doesn't love to not work?

• Snowball fights, snow forts, snowmen, snow sculptures, and other excellent snow creations.  People can also partake in other snow related activities such as skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, tobogganing, ice skating, and many more fun things.

• It creates a beautiful sight. Many artists, writers, and photographers have been inspired by the falling flurries, the most beastly of blizzards, and even the simplest of snowfalls. Not too long ago a photographer was so influenced by the snow that he created a device that allowed him to take pictures of individual snowflakes; proving that no two snowflakes are alike.

• It gets you in the mood for the upcoming holidays, especially Christmas. Christmas is often associated with snow by way of songs, movies, and television specials. They have given us the idea of a perfect Christmas or anything December related is usually perfected with snow. Snow is meant to be seen as beautiful and festive, just like Christmas. Other holidays like Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are sometimes depicted with snowfall, also giving them a glorious glow.

The Hate

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• Driving in it is like piloting a plane on an uncontrollable slip ‘n slide. Because of this, chances are you won’t be able to hang with your friends at the mall, go Christmas shopping, or travel to anywhere of dire importance. Sometimes if the conditions are unbelievably terrible flights will be cancelled, certain roads will be closed off, and even establishments will be closed.

• It’s too cold, much like the rest of winter. You could say it’s cold as ice.

• If temperatures drop even after the snowfall, the snow could freeze, and change into ice or even sleet. Ice makes conditions even worse, freezing power lines, and sometimes breaking them. Ice also makes roads extremely slick to slide on and even runways for airplanes.  Snow can pile up on power lines and also cause them to collapse.

• Snow kills people by way of extreme cold temperatures or other means.  Recalling the fact that our nation is covered in a wintry white murderer, at least eleven people, if not more, have been killed by it. Some of these situations include people being killed by deep freezes, hypothermia, and slick roads, leading to fatal car crashes.  Other instances even include animals dying by the onslaught of snow. This past October, the winter storm Atlas tore through South Dakota, resulting in the multiple deaths of cattle.

So what are your thoughts on the white, wintry wonderland? Do you love snow, hate snow, or happen to fall in between? Feel free to leave your comments below and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.