- Sammi Farber went to her parents’ house in Long Island, N.Y., to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah
- Her parents had constructed an 8-ft., sparkly blue menorah to celebrate the holiday
- After seeing it, Farber decided to post a video about it on TikTok. Since then, it’s gone viral, amassing almost 200,000 views
One family is having an over-the-top Hanukkah celebration.
Sammi Farber walked into her parents’ house in Long Island, N.Y., where she was celebrating the first night of Hanukkah with her family on Dec. 25. But as she made her way over to the fireplace to put her gifts down, something caught her eye. There, in front of her was an 8-ft., sparkly blue menorah.
Growing up, Farber tells PEOPLE her family always celebrated Hanukkah at her grandparents’ house in upstate New York. She says her grandmother was a creative spirit and clothing designer who loved picking unique themes for their yearly Hanukkah celebrations.
“Although she always wanted a tree, my grandfather wasn’t into it, so she found other ways to decorate with festive flair,” Farber, 31, says. “When my grandmother passed away two years ago, those beloved celebrations came to an end.”
“This year, my mom decided to take on that role and bring the joy back into our home,” she continues. “She wanted to decorate in a way that captured the same festive spirit, not as a religious statement but as a way to create joy. Blue and white ‘Hanukkah trees’ felt too forced to her, so she came up with something original: a symbolic centerpiece inspired by our holiday traditions.”
“She kept it a total surprise from us,” Farber adds.
Sammi Farber
To create the menorah, Farber says her parents Michelle and Scott, who are both event planners, worked together on the project.
“My mom is usually the visionary, and my dad brings her ideas to life,” Farber says. “For this project, my mom explained exactly what she wanted, and within days, my dad made it happen. He purchased three 10-ft. PVC pipes, cut them to size and assembled them with angled joints. He used PVC glue to secure the structure, creating a menorah with a detachable base and top to make it easy to manage.”
“He even designed it to hold real candles, which was especially meaningful since lighting the flames is central to the symbolism of Hanukkah,” she adds. “The result was not only functional but stunning.”
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Upon seeing the menorah, Farber was in complete awe at how creative, hilarious and unique it was. She says her first thought was, “I wish everyone could have one of these!”
“It felt so special,” she adds. “Plus, it gave me the chance to hang ornaments, which I’d always admired but never had a reason to buy. This menorah is truly something extraordinary and deeply meaningful for us.”
Farber knew other Jews, too, would be inspired by her parents’ creation, so she decided to post a video about it on TikTok. It went viral, amassing almost 200,000 views.
“My parents were completely shocked at how quickly it gained attention,” she adds. “My dad even doubted that anyone would care, and I told him people would absolutely want their own. Clearly, I should have bet him on it!”
“I was thrilled to see so many people excited about it, but I also felt a little disheartened by comments like ‘just get a tree,’ ” she continues. “It’s not about wanting a tree — it’s about celebrating our own traditions and finding joy in new ways.”
She adds, “This menorah represents creativity, tradition and a way to keep our heritage alive. Especially in today’s climate, it’s so important to embrace and encourage the beauty of our culture and religion.”
Sammi Farber
When Hanukkah, which lasts for eight nights, is over, Farber adds that her parents already know what they’re going to do with the life-size menorah.
“She plans to follow the same timeline people use for Christmas decorations,” Farber says of her mom. “As soon as Thanksgiving is over, the menorah is going up and will stay up until New Year’s. During Hanukkah, she’ll light it each night along with our traditional menorahs.”
“It’s such a fun and meaningful alternative to the generic Hanukkah decor that often feels repetitive and uninspired,” she adds. “It’s time for Hanukkah decorations to get as trendy and exciting as Christmas decor!”
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