In many ways Hanukkah is similar to Christmas. Both fall on the same day of their respective months; the 25th of Kislev and the 25th of December. During both holidays gifts are exchanged, songs are sung and both commemorate a great historic event. Lights are a focal point of each, and both feature a prominent figure- the Servant. In Hanukkah the Servant is the ninth candle of the menorah, the Shammash. The Servant of Christmas is a child who was born to serve as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Both feature a great miracle. And sadly enough, both holidays have become terribly commercialized. Many Biblical Christians also believe that without Hanukkah, there could be no Christmas. If G-d had not preserved the Jewish people, then Jesus of Nazareth would not have been born, nor could He have later affirmed His messianic credentials.
@summerfield Thanks Summerfield. It came from the seasonal textures in Picnik. At first I wasn't going to include anything, but once I saw this I really liked the way it looked.
@jeancarl Thanks JeanCarl. I was not too close but close enough. I could feel some heat, so I backed up a little bit and used the zoom instead. My little point and shoot can handle that sometimes but not always. The zoom tends to throw things out of focus when I using macro. Sometimes it stays in focus and sometimes it doesn't. But I had some leeway here as I knew I'd be using some effects on the final picture.
@mrssmith Thanks Carla!