5- or

-

1 few minutes for this to dry) to draw Haman's face.
Children will love eliminating Haman by popping
all the balloons. CAUTION: You should never use
1 balloons around small children as pieces could get
stuck. in their throats, resulting in a choking hazard.

#10) Sounds Like ...: Have a game in which
family members or guests are challenged to come
up with one book, one song, one movie, one
game (or anything of your choice) appropriate to
the holiday. For example, you might have the rock
group Queen singing any song with the words
I "Hey, man" while reading Isaac Bashevis Singer's
1 Meshuga (since Purim is a rather crazy holiday).

#1 1) You're The Producer: As you sit around the
Purim dinner table, imagine that each of you is a
world-famous producer about to make a film ver-
sion of the Purim story. Ask everyone to compile a
1 list of Which actors he would have star in which
1 roles. (This is, after all, a fantasy, so feel free to
1 have the biggest names eager to play any part.)

#12) It In the Cards: Can you make up a game
all about the holiday, using only a regular deck or
1 cards? Maybe the winner would be the first to get
1 all the queens, for Queen Esther, or perhaps you
could play a modified version of Old Maid, with
1 Haman replacing the irritable old woman.

#14) It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lib: Purim is
a great time to write holiday mad libs of your own.
Each person begins a story, but leaves blanks to
fill in. Just be sure to give your friend a clue as to
what kind of word you're looking for — but don't
read the text. Simply say, "I need an adjective ... a
noun ... a verb." In case you've never written mad
libs, they work like this:
One day, Mordechai, who was very (adjective),
decided to go for a walk around the home of King
Ahasueurus. Before he arrived at the king% resi-
dence, he met up with a (noun). Aghast, he called
out, "I can't believe it!" and bent down for a closer
look. And then he saw something even more
astonishing. It was (adjective). It was (adjective). It
was: (noun)! ❑

#13) Silly Songs: Challenge friends and family to
come up with Purim versions of favorite songs,
videos and books. The sillier, the better, of course.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach could
1 become James and the Giant Hamantash
• Everyone's very favorite video, "Barney Goes
1 to School," could become "Barney Goes to Shur
• Gershwin's classic "Can't Help Lovin' That
1 Man" from Porgy and Bess would now be "Can't
Help Lovin' That Hamantash"
• And Leonard Bernstein's "Maria" from West
1 Side Story would become "Esther" ("Esther, I'll
1 never stop saying Queen Esther ...")

. •

Let's

Quick and easy

(and a little wacky)

ideas for
Purim costumes.

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

I

f you've had enough of being the king or the
queen, try something new when dressing up for
Purim (and remember, this is a time you should
be silly, so have fun!):
#1) Make Yourself A Mishloach Manot: Tie some
( treats on a long string to wear around your neck.

44..

3/17
'2000

!72

1 You can draw pictures of hamantashen and slip
1 them over the string, and add candy canes, or
pretzels, or tie fresh cherries on, too. Add a large
I ribbon at the top of your head; now you're really
- looking festive.
#2) Something Tasty: Once, while at Temple
Israel's Purim carnival, I saw someone dressed as
a hamantash. She was wearing a large, brown tri-
angle (topped with bumpy red fabric — this was
the jelly filling) over her whole body. She looked
I i terrific. You could make your own hamantash cos-
tume with fabric, or simply by cutting out two large
triangles from cardboard boxes.
#3) Juice, Juice, Baby: On Purim, we celebrate
by eating a seuda, a festive meal, which includes
1 either wine or grape juice. You can become your
1 own bottle by dressing all in purple, then mak-
ing a foil headpiece to serve as your metal top.
I Try making your own label, too, and sticking it
on your stomach.
1 #4) Three For One: If you're pressed for time, but
I still have dreams of taking center stage, you can
I express yourself as Mordechai, Esther and Haman
all at once — with just a single piece of paper.
Twist the center of paper to form a bow. Put it atop
your head and you're Esther. Move it to your upper
lip and, voila, your new Haman_'s moustache is
complete. Then move it directly under your chin, cre-
ating the suave, debonair, bow-tied look that has
1 "Mordechai" written all over it.

#5) Two Faced: Or, if you just can't get into char-
: acter as Mordechai, or if playing a man and a
woman is too demanding, here's another idea. Cut
spaces for eyes and a mouth out of one paper
plate, then decorate as Esther, Mordechai, the king
— anyone in the story. Make another plate with a
1 different character's face. Tie the two together with
: string, and wear the one with eye and mouth slits
on your face, the other on the back of your head.
#6) Super Purim Guy Or Girl: Using anything in
i your closet, make a cape and a foil crown and
1 become Super Purim Guy, or Super Purim Girl. You
can write your important title by tearing tape and
affixing it to the back of your clothes, so everyone
can give you the respect you deserve.
1 #7) Food For Thought: What's your favorite Purim
meal? With just a white piece of poster board, you
I can make yourself into something truly delicious.
Draw your favorite food onto a piece of poster
I board that you have cut into a circle (that's your
plate). You can carry your plate, or affix it with
string around your neck (NOT ADVISABLE FOR
YOUNG CHILDREN) or waist. Now you're a
Purim seuda.
#8) Or, Just Be A Pineapple: In mishloach manot,
we place two foods that can be eaten right away.
I Make yourself into any one of these, from a slice of
cake to a pineapple to a hard-boiled egg (just
wear white pants, and a white shirt with yellow col-
1 ored in on the stomach). ❑

I

