Candle holders

A pair of Shabbat candle holders is one of the most-given hand-made gifts in the Jewish home, so we make them seriously. Each holder is a single block of hardwood — walnut, olive, or maple — with a recessed brass cup that takes a standard Shabbat candle.

We usually shape them as a matched pair: same block, sliced into two so the grain reads continuously across both pieces. The bases are weighted enough that they do not tip when bumped, and the brass cup is pressed in deep enough that hot wax cannot reach the wood.

Options: engraved Hebrew dedication on the underside, a coordinated drip tray, or a wooden box for travel. Finish: food-safe walnut oil, applied twice.