In his 30-plus years as an event planner, David Stark has staged galas for just about all the major NYC museums, openings for Hermès, weddings the world over, and Christmas extravaganzas galore, including for the State Department. But he says he’s never been asked to do something creative for Hanukkah.
That was until a few years ago when he found himself with his nephew and niece in Miami at the start of the holiday. Lacking a menorah, he fashioned one out of potatoes. “It made me realize that I can look at the world around me and make a menorah out of all kinds of things,” he tells us. Since then, David has given himself and stylist/photographer Susie Montagna, the first person he hired to join his team of now nearly 200, the annual assignment of making a batch of DIY candelabra.
All of their designs adhere to the classic menorah configuration: 8 candleholders plus a ninth that serves as the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others. They’re composed of materials the two have on hand and of things they gather. In addition to the produce and bakery aisles, parts come from hardware and craft stores, vintage shops, and eBay and Etsy. They’re David and Susie’s version of fun: “We just love to make things,” he says. Take a look and this year for Hanukkah, December 14-22, consider fashioning your own menorah. Just be sure to keep an eye on it when the candle are lit.
Photography as credited courtesy of David Stark Design (@david_stark_design).
Edible Menorahs
Menorahs Made from Familiar Objects
For more menorahs and candle sources, too, see:
- 8 Artful Menorahs: Our 2024 Favorites
- 8 Finds for the Happening Hanukkah Table
- Seeking Light: 7 Artist-Made Menorahs
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