Preparing for the High Holidays

On my mind at the moment is preparation for the high holidays. Rosh Hashanah is just over 4 weeks away, then of course Yom Kippur a week later and Sukkot is hot on it’s heals.

In the lead up every holiday I always end up a grumpy ball of stress, usually at being the one who’s had to do everything, and no one else in my family opening their eyes to help. This year to try and combat that I’ll be having a sit down with everyone in the next week or two and detailing my expectations of everyone, which will involve everyone being proactive to help and keep things rolling. Okay, so this might be a bit of a stretch for my youngest two children, but it hopefully the message will be understood and taken on board by my husband and eldest son.

After going pretty hard core with children centred craft prep for these holidays for a few years (while we were just playing with the idea of this, and not committed to converting), the last year was much more focused on the technicalities of the days. This year I want to get in early and have a bunch of activities for my kids prepped and ready to make in the week or two before Rosh Hashanah, through to the end of Sukkot.

Here are some idea of things I want to do:

• Colouring in activities
• Maybe a big poster?
• Stained glass hanging pomegranates
• dried orange garland
• Mini edible sukkahs
• Plush items for holidays (plush strong and lulav, torah scroll, honey pot?)

Other items on my to do list:

• Order some kosher meat and develop some menus
• Get out boxes of decorations from last year and see what we need to be fixed/replaced/kept
• Do a declutter in the house so that everything feels free and clean for the new year
• Email all the fam to start the ball rolling for a family get-together
• Organise and start buying gifts