If you have not started celebrating Purim yet, I hope you will learn about this meaningful holiday before next year and will include it in your family's special celebrations. I hope you will get some ideas from our pictures, and will share your own with me next year.
I have to let you know in advance that many of the pictures are very blury. I have been having lots of eye problems for a couple of years and don't see very well. In fact, this morning I had another surgery, in hopes that my sight will be restored.
When I was taking the pictures I had no idea that the camera lens was covered in schmutz (my daughter's word), and that the pictures were coming out blury. Everything looks blury to me. Anyway, some of the pictures are not good quality, but I still want to share them.
Everything doesn't have to be perfect or expensive to be fun and to raise the level of holiness in your home. I hope our family's ideas will help you to come up with some ideas of your own and will encourage you that YOUR FAMILY TOO can celebrate Purim (and all the holidays) no matter where you live.
If you have ideas I'd love to hear about them. I'd love to see your pictures too, if you have a blog, FB, or other way to share.
Blessings!
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We had a lot of fun decorating the house for the party. The girls are getting old enough now to have ideas of their own about how they want things to look. I love having them help with the decorating.
I buy bags of balloons at the dollar store instead of the party store. I buy about 10 bags at a time so we always have some on hand. I also buy ribbon on the big spools so we never have to worry about running out.
I bought several packages of shiny stars on clearance at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago and they always come in handy for any kind of party.
I hit the bargain jackpot after Hanukkah last year at Target. I picked up lots of shiny blue garland for $.45 each, Star of David lights for $3.00 a string, and window gel decorations for $.40 a package. The girls love the window gels. I would have spread them out a little more than they did, but the most important thing was for them to have fun.
We used colorful plates, cups, and napkins, from the dollar store, candy and snacks, some yummy food, and of course the Queen Esther Crown cookies. I thought the table looked great. (I don't like the traditional hamentaschen cookies and have never learned to make them yet.)
The girls sorted all the groggers by color and style so everyone would be able to find one that was just right to use while booing Haman.
A few years ago I found this Haman punching balloon. Kids always have so much fun punching him in the face. It really looked funny for all the beautiful little Queen Esthers dressed in pink and wearing crowns to be rolling around punching out the bad guy.
Last year I bought a bunch of cheerleader pom poms at the dollar store so we can cheer and yell Yea! Yea! when we hear the names Esther and Mordeichi. It adds a little more excitement and something else for the young kids to listen for during the reading - which can be quite long for them.
I added another fun activity to the reading of the Megillah last year. I got to thinking about how kids might not understand the concept of "casting lots" and thought about how throwing dice is similar. So I bought some big dice, some red dice with flashing lights inside, some regular dice, and some necklaces that are made of shiny dice beads. During the part of the story that talks about the lots I tossed the dice all over the room. The kids had fun gathering them up, then playing with them at the same time they were listening for the names of Haman, Esther, and Mordechai.
People dress in costumes on Purim. There are a number of reasons. Here are a few:
*costumes symbolize the fact that the spiritual world is hidden from humanity
*masks symbolize the fact that the whole Purim incident was wrapped in "the hidden nature of G-d's countenance
*G-d's name isn't even mentioned in the Book of Esther - G-d is "hidden"
*The name "Esther" means "hidden"
We all chose our costumes, and asked our friends to wear costumes when they came to the party if they wanted to. But we also had masks, face paint, wigs, and crowns available for those who didn't have costumes.
I came across lots of sets of face paint after a popular pagan holiday that is celebrated in October. They were on sale in the clearance section of Wal Mart for a dollar each. This is an awesome price since each set normally costs anywhere from $5 - $10 at the party store. The girls loved the hearts and rainbows I painted for them. That's about as artistic as I am when it comes to face painting. I had never done it and will have to learn how to do more detailed designs.
I found these adorable crowns with pink feathers at the Dollar Tree. They were perfect for our little Queen Esthers.
I put out a selection of masks, and the kids had fun wearing them too.
After reciting hamotzi (blessing for bread) and the bracha for wine, we all enjoyed the Purim seudah (special meal) together.
Our family also follows the tradition of making a small package for each guest who celebrates with us. This is called giving Mishloach Manot. Each package consists of at least two ready-to-serve foods. This year we gave soft drinks and nut snacks.
We also made packages to give to the homeless. Giving these gifts is called Matanot L'evyonim. The girls decorated paper bags before putting in the fruit juice and crackers.
Purim is so much fun! So next year grab a few decorations, put on a mask or costume, invite some friends for lunch, and celebrate a great victory over evil.
