Happy Hanukkah

Hmm, what to feature? After a bit all of the LEGO menorahs and dreidels look alike to me, so let's take another look at Tbone_tbl's version of Solomon's Temple, as described in further detail on his blog. Okay, this isn't the actual structure that was rededicated on the first Hanukkah. Solomon's Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE. The returning Jewish exiles built another on its spot between 537 and 516 BCE. That second temple is the one celebrated on Hanukkah, but this is a great model well worth a second look.



I hope all my readers who celebrate it had a wonderful Hanukkah.

Happy Hanukkah

Here's another menorah, by a member of NYCLUG.

Happy Hanukkah

Back to a Hanukkah MOC. Even though there was only enough oil for one night, the lamps kept burning for eight, hence the eight candles in the menorah. Someone needs to point this out to G-MO, but it's a great little model nonetheless.

While shepherds watched their flocks by night ...

Looking for a great Christmas gift? How about getting The Brick Testament:
The Story of Christmas by Brendan Powell Smith?

I have a little dreidel, I made it out of ... LEGO

In addition to the lighting of the menorah, another tradition associated with Hanukkah is the dreidel game. The letters on each side of the spinning top stand for Nes Gadol Haya Sham – "a great miracle happened there" - referring to the story of the Temple's rededication. Builder Januson made this LEGO top to play the dreidel game.

Away in a manger ...

Barbara Werth presents a great nativity scene that she built last year around Christmas-time.

Happy Hanukkah

"Hanukkah is the festival of lights, instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights," sings Adam Sandler. The lighting of the menorah recalls the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt in 166 BCE. In recent years there have been several examples of LEGO menorahs, such as this event from two years ago in Northfield, NJ. Watch the news story on its construction. This event was coordinated by Stephen Schwartz, of Building Blocks Workshops. I've previously blogged Stephen for his workshops involving the construction of significant religious and cultural sites in ancient Jerusalem.

Minaret

A couple of days ago I posted about minarets as the key architectural element found in mosques. This lovely Arabian street by Polish builder Ciamek has a great example of a minaret.

Nicholas of Myra

Jolly old Saint Nick is recognized as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, but instead of being a fat man who lives up north, he was a kind man from Turkey known for his generosity and holiness. Several exploits and miracles are attributed to him, particularly in relation to helping children. Over the centuries, of course, his reputation has grown into the figure we associate with the secular side of Christmas, but his origin is on the sacred side. He is the patron saint of Amsterdam, and in the Netherlands (and elsewhere), Saint Nicholas' Day is celebrated on December 6. In Dutch tradition, children leave out their shoes with a card for the saint and a carrot for his horse, as depicted by Dutch LEGO builder Erik Smit. When they awake they find candy and other treats.



The text in the image translates to "Have a nice Saint Nicholas."

Nativity scene

As we enter the Christmas season, expect to see a lot of holiday-themed LEGO creations, such as this nativity scene by Alpha-98.

Tarot

Tarot cards were originally used for playing card games, but in the late 18th century began to be associated with mysticism and the occult. Yaron Dori made a LEGO tarot deck.

Minaret

Minarets are the most visible structure of an Islamic mosque. Traditionally, this tall tower served as a platform from which the call to prayer could be made (though in modern times a loudspeaker is generally used rather than someone climbing up into the minaret. Minarets are in the news because a few days ago Switzerland passed a law banning the construction of minarets - something that could be seen as a blow to the freedom of religion, or a statement of Swiss identity, or both.



SaberScorpion made this minaret as a scene from the video game Assassin's Creed. I guess in that game a figure has to leap from the spire and land in the hay wagon below, but this is a great example of LEGO architecture.

Church of Scherpenheuvel

Another entry for the CCC Religious Life contest is Sebastian Arts' (Aliencat's) Church of Scherpenheuvel from Belgium.

Happy Thanksgiving

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. -Abraham Lincoln, 1863

Thanksgiving is, of course, a civic rather than religious holiday, but it has roots in a faith in a generous God. Here are a couple of Thanksgiving MOCs - Clancy's feast by Josh Wedin and Zerves' variation on set 10090. I hope all my readers have a wonderful day tomorrow, whether you are in the US celebrating this as a holiday or not. I'll probably be away from the computer for a couple of days, and then once December starts I'm sure that Christmas-themed creations will start appearing.

Flying butresses

The Colossal Castle Contest over at Classic-Castle is bringing out lots of church builders. Shmails built some flying buttresses for the 'technological advances' category. Flying buttresses allowed for the construction of much taller and grander cathedrals and became a hallmark of gothic architecture.