One rainy Yorkshire afternoon, I tried to stretch a single box of tissues into an entire activity. That is parenting maths, by the way. One empty box + a bit of tissue paper + eight tiny surprises = eight evenings of squeals, giggles, and me pretending I totally had a plan.
This “8 Nights of Laughs” Hanukkah tissue paper punch box is a simple, low-mess way to add a little anticipation each night. Kids get the thrill of punching through a paper “door,” and you get a built-in moment for a clean joke and a small treat. Everybody wins, including the recycling bin.
What it is
A punch box is a decorated box with little compartments inside. Each compartment gets covered with tissue paper, and each night you punch through one square to grab what is hidden inside.
For Hanukkah, we make eight compartments for eight nights. I like pairing each compartment with one small treat and one very silly, very safe joke. It becomes a quick family ritual: light candles, punch a square, tell a joke, laugh at Dad’s delivery, carry on.
Quick note on wording: plenty of families call the Hanukkah candle holder a hanukkiah (the nine-branched one), and some say menorah. You will see both. Use whatever your family uses at home.
Materials
- One sturdy box (shoebox, small delivery box, or cereal box doubled up)
- Cardboard for dividers (from another box)
- Tissue paper (8 to 12 squares, depending on your box size)
- Glue stick or PVA glue (glue stick is less slippery)
- Tape (packing tape or masking tape)
- Scissors
- Marker pen (for numbering 1 to 8)
- Optional decorating bits: blue and silver paper, stickers, ribbon, washable paint, washi tape
Filler ideas: wrapped chocolate coins, a small dreidel, a sticker sheet, a tiny eraser, a pencil topper, a hair clip, a Lego minifigure accessory, a single packet of hot chocolate, a note with a family “challenge” (see below).
Small-item safety: avoid small toys and hard sweets for children under 3, and always supervise. If it can fit in a little mouth, it will.
How to make it
1) Pick your box
You want something deep enough for small items but not so huge that you need to mortgage the toy budget to fill it. A shoebox is the sweet spot in my house.
Fit tip: aim for compartments roughly the size of a tea box section (about 5 to 7 cm across). If your treats are a bit chunkier, make fewer, wider compartments across and more along the length. You still end up with eight total, and everything actually fits.
2) Make 8 compartments
You are building a simple 2 x 4 grid inside the box (2 columns and 4 rows). There are a few ways to do this, but here is the least faffy.
- Measure the inside length and width of your box.
- Cut 1 long strip of cardboard the length of the box (this creates the 2 columns).
- Cut 3 short strips the width of one half of the box (these create 4 rows).
- On the long strip, mark where the rows will go (so the space is split into 4 fairly even sections), then cut 3 slits halfway down.
- On each short strip, cut 1 slit halfway down in the centre.
- Slot the short strips into the long strip, test-fit inside the box, then tape the grid down so it does not wobble when small hands go treasure-hunting.
Toby tip: If your box is flimsy, tape another piece of cardboard to the inside bottom first. Kids punch tissue paper, but they also punch confidence. Reinforce everything.
3) Fill the compartments
Put one surprise in each compartment. If you are adding jokes (highly recommended), fold each joke into a tiny strip and tuck it in with the treat.
4) Cover with tissue paper doors
- Cut a piece of cardboard to sit on top of the divider grid (like a lid insert).
- Mark and cut out 8 windows that line up with the compartments.
- Glue tissue paper over each window, smoothing it gently so it is taut but not ripping.
- Let it dry fully.
If you do not want to make the window insert, you can tape tissue paper directly over the top of the box. Then press along the divider lines with your finger so you can see the eight sections and where each compartment starts.
5) Number it 1 to 8
Write numbers directly on the tissue paper using marker, or stick small paper circles on top. Keep it simple. Perfection is the enemy of “we actually did a craft today.”
6) Decorate
Wrap the box in blue paper, add silver tape stripes, draw stars, or let kids go wild with stickers. The only rule I enforce is: no glitter unless you enjoy finding sparkles in your tea until February.
Timing
This is a good “make it the day before” craft. Build time is about 20 to 30 minutes, plus drying time (another 20 to 30, depending on how enthusiastic you got with the glue).
Candle safety
If you are lighting candles, keep the punch box well away from any open flames and drips. Tissue paper is brilliant at one thing, and it is not fire safety.
Clean jokes for inside
Slip one joke in each compartment, then let your child read it aloud or whisper it dramatically like a tiny comedian.
- What do you call a candle that tells jokes? A pun-ukkiah! (If the kids look puzzled, just say “pun” is a joke word.)
- Why did the dreidel go to school? It wanted to be a little spinner!
- What do you say to a polite potato pancake? Latke you very much!
- Why was the hanukkiah feeling proud? It was lit for eight nights!
- Why did the gelt sit by the candles? It wanted to look brighter!
- What did one dreidel say to the other? “Let’s spin this!”
- How do you know the latkes are having fun? They keep saying, “This is grate!”
- Why did the candle break up with the match? It felt burned out!
- What do you call a bear who loves Hanukkah? A hanukkiah-bear! (Yes, it is daft. That is the point.)
- Why did the hanukkiah join a band? It had great wicks!
- What do you call a very tiny festival? Hanukkah-mini!
- What do candles like to read? Wick-tionaries!
Note: Families celebrate in different ways, so feel free to swap any jokes for your own traditions, family phrases, or a sweet note.
Night ideas beyond sweets
If you want the punch box to feel special without becoming a full-on toy shop situation, add tiny “do something together” prompts.
- Pick a family song to sing together
- Choose someone to hand out candles
- Tell a 30-second “best part of today” story
- Do a silly pose photo (no pressure to share it anywhere)
- Build the world’s smallest blanket fort
- Have a 5-minute dance party
- Make one paper snowflake
- Let the kids pick tomorrow’s dessert
If your crew likes joke-based activities, my countdown joke chain has the same daily-anticipation energy, just without the punching.
Make it safer for little kids
If you have toddlers
- Use thin tissue paper and only one layer so it breaks easily.
- Pre-poke a small starter hole with a pencil (grown-up job).
- Skip hard treats and small toys. Go for stickers, soft snacks, or a felt shape.
If you have enthusiastic punchers
- Reinforce the box rim with tape.
- Make the windows slightly smaller than the compartments so hands do not rip the whole top off at once.
- Set a simple rule: one square per night, even if your child is very persuasive and has dimples.
Allergy note
If you are sending this to school or sharing with friends, avoid food and go with non-edible treats. Stickers and tiny toys are crowd-pleasers for older kids.
Clean-up and storage
Once all eight compartments are opened, you can reuse the divider insert next year. I tape mine to the inside of the box lid so it does not get squashed, then I store the whole thing with our holiday bits.
If tissue paper ends up everywhere, you have my full permission to call it “festive confetti” and move on with your life.
More giggles
If your kids enjoyed the surprise-and-laugh setup, you might also like:
Quick FAQ
Do we punch it with a fist?
Nope. Kids can poke a finger through, or you can let them use a blunt object like the end of a marker (with supervision). The goal is a fun pop, not a superhero test.
What tissue paper works best?
Cheap, thin tissue paper is perfect. If you only have thicker gift tissue, use one layer and keep the window size modest.
Can I skip the dividers?
You can, but the surprises may roll around and end up in the wrong night. The dividers are the difference between cute tradition and “why is Night 8’s dreidel already missing?”
