Olive oil, latkas, applesauce, chocolate coins, dreidels, menorahs, jelly donuts, and presents.

When you incorporate what is natural to Chanukah, the decor does not look overdone. Your decorations are definitely thought out, and in a way that compliments that spirit of the day. For example, in this picture above. You are giving presents anyway, just including them at your table setting with a matching table runner.

Let me know which ones you use and send in a picture!

Dreidel Cake

I've made a regular Duncan Hines yellow or strawberry cake in a 9x 13 pan. Cut the cake into a draidel form. Ice the cake all over with white frosting. Then, put a stencil over the middle of the cake with the letter "Gimmel" in Hebrew. Cut out the Gimmel out of construction paper, it doesn't matter since you will be removing it. Sprinkle colored rainbow sprinkles all over the icing. Remove the stencil and your Gimmel will really stand out.

The cake is really beautiful and fun to look at.

* Supplies Needed:1 9x13 pan

* Duncan Hines yellow or strawberry cake

* White frosting

* Rainbow sprinkles

* 1 piece of paper

* scissors

Try this: Feel free to experiment with the colors. Use a light blue frosting with chocolate sprinkles. The colors can be a theme for your Chanukah Décor.

Hint: You can cut nearly perfect slices of cake with dental floss.

Chanukah Table centerpiece

Get three plates of different sizes and cover them with leaves. Stack clear glasses filled with something festive- in our case, how about blue and white Jordan almonds, or gold coins?

Stack the plates on top of the clear filled glasses and sit a wrapped present on top.

Beautiful. Sticking to a basic color scheme help keeps the look clean and classy.

Here's another example of how to keep the look clean using a table runner made of wrapping paper!

Because Chanukah includes gift giving as a primary activity of the yom tov, why not wrap all presents in the same wrapping paper and use that same paper as a table runner.

First select your color scheme and a piece to work from, such as the dreidel cake (brown and blue).

Then you can add things of those same colors or complimentary colors piece by piece. For example, white dishes, silverware of different patterns but same color scheme look well together even though they may be from different sets.

Party Favors

If you are having a sit down dinner, you can make party favors with chocolate coins. Put chocolate coins in a clear cellophane bag and fold a piece of card stock over the bag with your guest's name printed on it.

Olive branch arrangement

Of course, this picture is not of olive branches, rather maple leaves. I want you to understand the idea though and how you can use it as chanukah decorations too.

You can put this arrangement anywhere in the room, or make several of them and scatter them all throughout your home. Go to Michaels or a craft store near you and purchase faux olive branches. Place the branches in a tall vase, use what you have. If you are putting several groupings near each other, make the groupings look uniform by choosing vases that have one underlying similarity- their color is the same, material (i.e., all glass or terracotta), height. That way it will not look like a scattered mishmash.

Latkas and Jelly Donuts

However you make your Latkas and whether or not you serve jelly donuts, take a few extra minutes to serve them spectacularly. Kale laid down on a plate makes anything look fancier. Just wash and check the kale for bugs, and place your latkas on top. Do the same with your jelly donuts. The greenery accentuates the food, making it look so much more appetizing.

The Outside of your House

You can also make your own "Chanukah House" like the one in Baltimore. I can't tell you how to do that one though! He's got trains running, charachters spinning around, and real fire from this large menorah in the yard.