Planning a sane Purim?

imasinger

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 11:46 am

If you are happy with how much you do, and how much rest you get, maybe you could share your schedule with the rest of the board. I've seen some great Pesach planning threads, but maybe we need a Purim planning one.

So...

When do you start?
When do you have the food for your MM planned, bought, made?
When do you get the packaging and write your message?
What times do you hear Megillah?
If you make a seudah, how do you balance that with deliveries?
Do your kids eat real meals? If so, is breakfast before, or after morning reading?
How long do you spend delivering? Eating? Visiting family?
When do your kids go to bed?
When do you go to bed?
Does your DH help you clean up?
How and when do you or your kids organize the MM that you got?

And, unashamedly bumping what I posted last year about thinking ahead -- there were some wonderful comments from other people here...

http://www.imamother.com/forum.....62676

mommyla

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 12:09 pm

I start fairly early. I make a lot of MM, so the earlier I start, the less headache and expense. I am able to store nonperishables and have a large freezer if I decide to bake.

My kids are still young (under 10) so they don't go to megillah (DS will probably go with DH this year). I go to the women's laining at night, then package whatever still has to be done (I try to pack MM on Taanis Esther or the day before, depending on what's in them) and prepare for the seudah (whatever I didn't already make ahead and freeze).

I insist on a good breakfast for everyone. Sometimes I get up for the vasikin megillah laining to make the morning go more smoothly. After megillah and breakfast, we get into costumes and start delivering! There's terrible traffic here so we usually try to get out earlier and do the local deliveries on foot first.

We love the families who give vegetable platters and real food so that we can eat normal food as we deliver. At one point last year we parked the car and devoured a huge veggie platter in minutes, and the rest of the day was so much easier because we weren't starving or (too) hopped up on sugar.

We have the seudah early afternoon, either at my house or one of my SILs'. My family does not live here and we spend the seudah with my IL family, so no pressure to visit (except DH's grandmother, where we spend some time, and aunts and uncles if there's enough time; we're not that close to them and they have huge families so no pressure there either).

Then, after the seudah, we do whatever deliveries we couldn't get to earlier. The streets are quieter then because everyone else is having their seudos!

I aim to say as much of sefer Tehillim as I can, which some years has been all of it and some years has been a few random perakim here and there. Depends on the insanity of that particular year.

The kids get to bed as close to bedtime as possible. DS sorts his own nosh and I do the rest after they go to bed.

My DH is wonderful and doesn't get drunk, so he does help clean up (usually). If there are any more deliveries that we missed, he'll often make them after I put the kids to bed or while they're getting ready.

And now I'm realizing how far behind I am on this Purim!! It's my turn to host the seudah but I'm not baking for MM, so it balances out, but I need to make a list and start getting the components.

sky

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 1:06 pm

Normally I start way in advance. I bake or put together most of what I send so I try to freeze it packaged and anything that has to be made or packaged last minute I do purim night.
I try to buy packaging in advance. (I saw people already in amazing savings shopping).
Labels I print way in advance and try to put on containers or bags at least a week before.
Only lasts minute items left for purim day.
(I'm going to iy'h have a newborn this Purim so I'm not planning so much this year - going to keep it real simple)

My DH reads megillah in the house. By day he goes to shul very early and then reads for me as early as possible. I think the early start is good for everyone.

No seuda, but whatever food I'm supposed to bring I freeze in advance.

Breakfast: I give my kids packaged breakfast for M'M. Each kid gets a packaged treat (like mini cereal, choc milk or iced coffee and granola bar or muffin), not necessarily healthy, but they eat and are excited about it.

Lunch: We spread out all the real food we got by then and eat. It makes it more exciting. Typically we have bread and dips and salads. I'll also try to have Ziti in the oven to pull out. (But food we get is much more exciting).

We try to start delivering early in the morning before the traffic. One year DH did some deliveries with the kids while I was at reading, but last year he read for me so that doesn't work any more. We try to plan the route in advance to beat the most congested areas and work around teacher's schedules and to be sure to make it to people who appreciate our visit the most (home bound, elderly, etc).

We get to our seudah late, probably right before shkia, but we stop by earlier to drop off food and offer to help with their deliveries.

Our meal always ends really late and then we stay to clean up and help with M'M there and organize the house. Kids go to bed very late, I go home with them without DH. He goes to yeshiva after to dance and daven and finds his own way home (normally walks). He doesn't really help me clean up, but he is very involved the rest of the day and keeps things calm, so it is okay.

Through out the day I try to keep designated boxes - drinks, candy, freezer (cake\cookies\kugles\breads). And break up the M'M as they come in. Cake and cookies I try to freeze that night, perishables go in the fridge and the rest can wait for the next day (and anything we won't eat I toss immediately). And then at the end of the day there is a random pile of food in my trunk that has to be brought in side and organized.

I'm not super organized, but I find if we start early (in terms of prep and purim morning) and everyone is well fed things go smoother. and ignoring the mess - that helps a lot - and ignoring the garbage the kids eat - I figure its one day and if the gorge on nosh it won't hurt anything in the scheme of things.

thunderstorm

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 1:15 pm

I package my shalach manos the Sunday before Purim as long as there are no perishable items or items that need to be fresh.
All baking gets done weeks in advance on a Sunday and frozen until Purim time.
I write a poem and have it printed (Usually a day or two before Purim)
The Purim Seudah I like to make stuffed cabbage in advance and freeze (will probably do it this Sunday) and cook in advance whatever is freezable such as meat, soup, kugels etc.
Purim day we wake up early and DH davens vasikin so that by the time he's done with megilla I can go daven with a regular minyan and hear magilla at around 9 am.
My boys then go with DH until about 11:30 to learn in Yeshiva Mordechai Hatzadik (everyone eats a breakfast of eggs and bread that DH prepares and serves while I'm hearing megilla)
Then the boys deliver neighborhood shalach manos and we are off to compete with traffic and the rebbes schedules...we make stops at friends and spend some time shmoozing here and there. The seuda is usually started around 3:30 or 4:00 ...in between the kids tend to do a lot of noshing and are not interested in real food.
If I'm hungry I'll grab a food item that someone gave in shalach manos and eat it as a snack .
It's a day of hustle and bustle but Oh so much fun...
I usually organize shalach manos as it comes in the door. I have a pastries container, a candy container and a chips and snacks container...all other grass, cellophane etc get discarded immediately. I save ribbons and some decorative objects to recycle (I enjoy scrapbooking and crafts and use those items then)
The family goes back out after the seudah and we visit other family seudahs. By the time we come back it's usually dark , the house is farely clean and costumes get packed away the next day after I wash them.

Ruchel

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 1:19 pm

When do you start?
I order the costumes months before and start shopping as soon as I have a theme (I do themes, something not common, also we adults dress up also not common).

When do you have the food for your MM planned, bought, made? Everything is ready and packed ideally a couple days before (all bought).

When do you get the packaging and write your message? Packaging when I find the right one, no message (?)

What times do you hear Megillah? Night megilla at the time it is, during the day in the afternoon

If you make a seudah, how do you balance that with deliveries? Deliveries first

Do your kids eat real meals? If so, is breakfast before, or after morning reading? no, nosh

How long do you spend delivering? Eating? Visiting family? delivering I pretty quick, we give to people around or that we see (2 to 5 MMs for us, one for each kid in chinuch age). Mishte as long a it is. Visiting family we don't always, depending if we have a community mishte to attend.

When do your kids go to bed? when we're back... 10 +

When do you go to bed? probably as usual

Does your DH help you clean up? yes because he lives here with us

How and when do you or your kids organize the MM that you got? we don't organize them (?)

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 1:26 pm

Our celebration is on a smaller scale than some, but it can still be kind of hectic. We have learned to keep it manageable.

DD chooses her own costume. When she was very little I made the costume for her which I really enjoyed doing, but older school age kids can plan and make their own. "Tweens" rarely wear costumes here, but they get into it again as teens, when they can certainly handle it themselves. I may be pressed into service to help buy materials, but that's it. Family group costumes aren't our style.

We usually go to the "noisy" early megilla at night, but I wouldn't mind going to the "quiet" later reading again once we don't have kids at home.

We might think of a mishloach manot theme a year in advance and work on the idea for months, or we might just pick up some store-bought hamantaschen and juice boxes a day in advance. Our mm's usually include 3-4 items in a gift bag with a label from our family, no special containers or poems. Our themes rarely have anything to do with our costumes (I never even heard of that before Imamother!). If I bake, I will do it in advance and freeze the goods. The bags might be done during the week before Purim, or after megilla at night. Delivering more than 18 or so mm's is not fun and very time consuming (we have to drive), so we keep it limited. Fewer than 12 also isn't as much fun. We understand if other families choose to limit their lists, no pressure to keep up.

Our shul/school have mm fundraisers, so we can fulfill our social obligation to teachers and classmates who do not live nearby while supporting our community.

We definitely have breakfast before megilla in the morning! We go to the second reading then jump in the car to deliver mm. Planning out the route in advance helps it go smoothly, and that's something school age kids can do on the computer/phone. I like to be home in time for a late lunch, and then have some down-time before the seudah, which we start around 3-4 pm. Most likely we will have our received mm's sorted out before then. We might invite another family or be invited out for the seudah. We have no extended family nearby. If we are having our own seudah I will work out a schedule for cooking and setting up beforehand, and keep it pretty simple. Purim isn't a good time for last-minute cooking.

Dh and I clean up. Neither of us is a big drinker and our seudah is mellow. Regular bedtime for all, and back to work for the grownups in the morning.

myself

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 2:55 pm

I would love to include 'proper' food or fresh cut up fruit in our MM however I have no intention of preparing in the last minute or worrying about temperature-sensitive food on the day whilst we're out and about. Food that can be frozen pre-packaged or non-perishables that can be prepared in advance are the way I go.

We start early on the day. DH lains for me and the kids at around 8:30 whilst the kids are still in pyjamas and we aim to leave at 10/10:30 when the streets are still fairly empty. Proper breakfast is a must before we leave. Well-fed kids are happier kids. We also stop at IL's lunchtime for some proper food. We need to stop in to see both sides of the family and grandparents (and teachers who are limited by time slots!) so the day is very hectic but we try to not to stress too much and I'm happy that we all get to eat properly and are not just filling up on piles and piles of junk food. We end the day with the seuda that begins at approx 5:30 and are generally home by 10. DH, and sometimes DS too, continue to hop around until G-d knows what hour, whilst I fall into bed. Wink

Miri7

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 3:01 pm

Having DH lein Megillah at home makes things so much easier!! He leins for me by night and in the morning. That way I can have the small kids and baby in bed at a reasonable hour and we don't have a rushed morning.

We have also held a small Megillah reading at home for other families with small kids. Fun and social with no shul stress. We delivered MM early, then had Megillah reading and seudah at our place. Everyone brought some food so I didn't have to cook it all. I find schlepping around with all the small kids amidst drunken madness, or trading off to go to Megillah reading to be too stressful.

At this point I've decided I'm way too busy to have awesome MM this year. Will do non perishables or mini fruit basket again this year.

spring13

Wed, Feb 17 2016, 4:06 pm

When do you start? *When I get around to it. Maybe 2-3 weeks ahead, to bake whatever I'm baking for MM

When do you have the food for your MM planned, bought, made? *I plan a month or two ahead, bake a couple of weeks ahead, buy most other things online

When do you get the packaging and write your message? *See above

What times do you hear Megillah? *We go as a family at night (our shul has a big reading with a break fast after. If I have a kid who can't sit through it, I'll hit a late night one after they're all in bed. In the morning we sometimes split up.

If you make a seudah, how do you balance that with deliveries? *I potluck with friends, so we all plan to do our deliveries to other people beforehand.

Do your kids eat real meals? If so, is breakfast before, or after morning reading? *Um, they're kind of noshers anyway. I make sure they eat SOMETHING healthy at regular intervals, and that they pick only a certain number of treats from MM.

How long do you spend delivering? Eating? Visiting family? *I have no idea. Usually longer to deliver than I expect.

When do your kids go to bed? *Probably the usual time, maybe a bit later. But our usual time is on the late side anyway.

When do you go to bed? *Usual time, as far as I remember.

Does your DH help you clean up? *Of course. He doesn't get drunk and he's with the family all day, not partying at yeshiva.

How and when do you or your kids organize the MM that you got? *As it comes in, in general. We don't get such obscene amounts, people in our neighborhood tend to be low-key. But I love to sort, so I have fun dealing with it whenever I get a chance.

HonesttoGod

Thu, Feb 18 2016, 8:47 am

When do you start? Usually know what I am doing a good few weeks in advance for MM/costumes and try to have it all sorted at least a week before.
When do you have the food for your MM planned, bought, made? As early as I can. Last year I arrived back from an International 3 day trip, on taanis esther afternoon. Everything was already done the week before all I had to do was buy some drinks for the night meal.
When do you get the packaging and write your message? Anywhere from a week before and some the night before (while dh is at megillah). Depends what I am packaging and when I have time between work and all.
What times do you hear Megillah? when my dh comes home from shul.
If you make a seudah, how do you balance that with deliveries? We don't make a seudah but we go to my in laws for the afternoon seudah at 4 pm. We do all the deliveries that need to be done between 1-4pm (this way the kids are fed lunch before and do not fill up on needless amounts of junk or get cranky).
Do your kids eat real meals? If so, is breakfast before, or after morning reading? They don't go to shul so breakfast is whilst my dh is at shul and lunch is before we head out as I wrote above.
How long do you spend delivering? Eating? Visiting family? Delivering is anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours. Depends who we have to go to (where the teachers, bosses live etc) and traffic. We visit family when we get to my in laws, everyone comes there so no running around to them. My parents don't live here although this year I have a sister that just moved here so maybe we'll get together.
When do your kids go to bed? the night before, normal time, purim day, I try for normal time too it depends when the meal finishes usually 9 latest.
When do you go to bed? As soon as I get tired. regular night hours.
Does your DH help you clean up? of course Wink

How and when do you or your kids organize the MM that you got? usually I try as they come but otherwise once the kids are in bed before I go to bed. This way I can chuck out all the gross candies without them crying about it.