Celebrating Purim Where Halloween is King

Kids everywhere love putting on costumes be it for Purim or Halloween. But in countries where most kids are celebrating Halloween in October, Jewish children feel left out and cheated by the time Purim comes along in March. So what can parents and educators do to make celebrating Purim as exciting as Halloween? Here are a few helpful ideas.

#1. Purim Costumes

To make celebrating Purim even more exciting than Halloween, why not make Purim costumes from the characters in the Purim Story. Girls can be Esther and Vashti, and boys Mordecai and Haman. Here's how to make these Purim costumes.

#2. Preparing Mishloach Manot (Sent Gifts)

Kids just love the way Hamentashen look, and though they don't always like the poppy seed ones, they love the one's stuffed with jam. So make celebrating Purim just as fun as Halloween by inviting kids into the kitchen to bake. Then pack the Mishloach Manot full of candy and Hamentashen and lots of yummy things.

#3. Matanot L'Evyonim (Gifts for the Poor)

Make celebrating Purim not only as fun as Halloween but very meaningful. At night stop quietly by the home of a needy neighbor (maybe someone who lost his job) and hide a Mishloach Manot basket on the doorstep. Children are sure to feel the importance of Purim's Matanot L'Evyonim over the simple Halloween trick-or-treating their friends had talked about.

#5. Make Purim Crafts

There's one thing about celebrating Purim that Halloween doesn't have at all. It's the super noisy rattles called, graggers. So don't be boring and buy your graggers-make them instead. Then play Purim games and paint Purim coloring pages. Finally, finish off the celebration with Purim jokes. Here's where to find Purim Fun for Kids.

#6. Go to the Synagogue

Purim is not that different from Halloween if you look at it from a kid's perspective. What can be more fun than wearing the costume in public! So head over to the synagogue for the reading of Megilat Esther (the story of Purim), where kids can make a racket with their graggers every time Haman's name is mentioned.

#7. Abolish School for the Day

Growing up in Israel, I never had to worry about celebrating Purim where everyone else celebrates Halloween. I just thought Purim was the only way. Well, the wonderful thing that happened at my school can be replicated anywhere. All the classrooms were turned into play rooms (like a fairground), and the kids in costumes would go from room to room, playing and winning prizes. Make sure that on Purim no studying or homework are required, and celebrating Purim where Halloween is King will seem like a very good deal indeed.

More Purim Ideas:

Purim Story: The Tale Behind the Jewish Halloween

How to Make Purim Costumes from the Story of Purim

Purim Holiday Traditions

10 Places to Find Purim Games, Activities, Crafts-for-Kids and Purim-Jokes