HAPPY HANUKKAH 5784 AND HOLIDAYS 2023, my fellow gifted CHAG HANUKKAH AND URIM SAMEACH 5785 (happy Festival of Dedication and Lights), my fellow gifted thrifters and thrifty gifters! May you have a deeply discounted December 2024. First month of Winter, Jewish month of Kislev; month of Advent, World AIDS Day, my 9th annual Mycroft’s Menorah Mishigas, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Eve. My family and I celebrate Chrismukkah and Hanumas. And Hanukkah starts on Christmas night this year.
Nu, what is my Menorah Mishigas? Every Winter holiday season for the last eight years, I’ve shared my meshuggah menorah collection and more on my social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram). And this is the fourth December I’ll be talking about that here at Finding Your Good, as part of my monthly guest blogging.
I have more than 40 Hanukkah menorahs (also known as hanukkiahs/hanukkiyot)! All of them thrifted and gifted! Many of them from Goodwill Of Greater Washington in person, with a few from Shop Goodwill. And I’ve seen many more menorahs at Goodwill, online and off. I’ve even thrifted a few Temple menorahs in my time.
I added THREE menorahs to my collection in the past year – all from my local Goodwills here in Gaithersburg and next door in Rockville! The first one is from Target’s Threshold collection, and was originally sold for $25 – I got it for $5. The second features a pitcher of olive oil, since oil is central to the Hanukkah story, and olives are still important in that part of the world. The third one reminds me of the central train station here in Gaithersburg, very near my house, which houses our city’s Community Museum.
Earlier this year, DC Goodwill auctioned off a menorah that’s very high on my wishlist – this beautiful Spode design; maybe next year I can thrift one for myself.
More recently, DC’s Shop Goodwill site offered a Lenox menorah – also very high on my wishlist, a very cool brass one that I would love to own, and an unusual one depicting Moses leading a group of modern people; plus two menorah pendants (one with a Hanukkah menorah, one with a Temple version).
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/210788578
Lenox ivory porcelain Hanukkah Menorah
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/214109700
Vintage Brass Hanukkah Menorah
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/217657133
David Kaplin 1969 Sculpture
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/215994153
Pandora ALE 925 Sterling Silver Holidays Pendant 17″ 4g
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/217051388
Towle Vintage 925 Sterling Silver Menorah Star of David Pendant 2″ 19.5g
Finally, a reminder to look very carefully when shopping for Judaica, this season and year round. For instance, I was recently at my Goodwill here in Gaithersburg, and almost missed that this snowflake-shaped brass trivet was also three Magens David (“stars” of David, though magen actually means “shield” – supposedly King David had this star on his shield). You can put a candle or whatever else you want on it, in addition to hot food. And it can be a wall decoration and more.
Again, happy Hanukkah and holidays! And best wishes for your 2025. Nu, thrift your gifts, post about them, and tag DC Goodwill and Finding Your Good – but wait until it won’t spoil the surprise. And don’t forget to meet me back here in January.
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