PURIM

Next week is Purim. Every kid's favourite holiday. Mine too. Well, actually my favourite holiday is Pessach (Passover) but I love watching the little kids all dressed up walking to their nursery schools or classes.

Purim is a big deal here in Israel. Every holiday is. You know the old joke : How do you describe every Jewish holiday in ten words or less? They tried to kill us...we won...let's eat!

So on Purim we all forget our diets and eat hamantashen or ozney haman in Hebrew. They are triangular cookies filled with dates or chocolate or poppy seeds, and are yummy.

Did you ever have a favourite costume? I had two. When I was really little, I remember I had a cowgirl outfit made out of real sued with fringes and everything. I loved that. I thought I looked like Dale Evens. Don't ask...either you are old enough to remember or the name won't mean anything to you.

Then when I got older I made a great clown costume. I loved that. As a storyteller and spinner of tales, I can tell you that the saddest person in the circus is the clown.

But of allllllllllll the costumes, my most impressive was the one I made twenty years ago for my youngest when he was four. He was and still is the sweetest person and my daughter came up with the idea. 'Imma let's make him the sweetest boy in Yerushalayim.'

And I did. I started off with a kova tembel, the Israeli cap that you always see in the movies, and sewed layers of string candy to look like hair. Then I took his navy blue jogging suit and covered it from neck to feet with candy...chocolates...suckers...toffee...you name it he had it. The same was on the back but where he had to sit down I simply put the candy wrappers.

Everyone stopped their cars as we walked to nursery school. He was a hit! And like the Gingerbread House, the kids all picked off the candy and ate whatever they wanted. I had to make that costume three times, but it was sure worth it.

Did you ever have a favourite costume that you liked? If you do and want to share, I'd love to hear your stories. I'll wish you all a sweet and Happy Purim next week. For now I'm leaving the costume making to my daughter in law. If you promise to keep it a secret, I'll tell you that sweetsie tootsie is going to be Bob the Builder and sweetsie girl is going to be a Princess...of course, you are not surprised. :)

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.