Is anyone else not crazy about sukkah hops for little ones?

imasinger

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 7:20 pm

I don't know, maybe it's just the way things are around where I live. I'm happy with the idea for older kids or teens, but many of the sukkah hops are organized for the preschool/early elementary crowd, who don't talk to each other. I'm seeing far too little socializing, and far too much greed. I lost my taste for the experience the year one of my kid's friends threw up after stuffing himself too much.

Are they better elsewhere?

greenfire

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 7:42 pm

it's good jewish clean FUN ... leave them be - or just organize yours better ... What

say a d'var torah for a piece of candy Study

ra_mom

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 8:09 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

what's a sukkah hop ?

Sukka hopping = going from Sukka to Sukka with a group of friends. (We used to go around to see all the beautiful Sukkas. No food was involved.)

He*Sings*To*Me

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 8:19 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

what's a sukkah hop ?

Kinda like Jewish Trick-or-Treating, except you have to wait 'til Purim to put on your costume... Wink

imasinger

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 8:27 pm

I wouldn't mind if no food was involved, or even if the food was limited. It's just easy for it to get out of control.

Greenie, you're right, I'm not prepared to do anything about it, so we just don't do it. I just wanted to know if I was alone in my feelings about it all.

RedRuby

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 8:32 pm

In our community, we have an organized "Sukkah Hop" , which is like a neighborhood potluck.

4 families host a different course. So people can "hop" from the salad to the soup to the main dish to dessert. We have a small community, but you can arrange it in a larger community, by blocks or choose 4 neighbors.

I agree that candy consuming doesn't have to be part of it.

Or just go visit without the food.

My complaint with little kids is the time of day = when they are tired and grouchy.

I guess you can figure out a way to keep it fun and not crazy.

Happy Sukkah Hopping!

imasinger

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 10:06 pm

RedRuby wrote:

Now THAT sounds really fun, and like something I'd enjoy organizing. Thanks for the idea!

ShakleeMom

Mon, Oct 05 2009, 10:14 pm

Ugggggggg I'm so glad it's not an organized thing here, sounds like a nightmare I would struggle with. The pressure is huge when everybody's doin' it... So glad we don't have that. Yes, the kids run around looking at everybody's sukka, but only on Yom Tov after the zman, before kiddush, so no treats. Wow,another thing to be grateful for.

flowerpower

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 12:53 am

I never heard of it. As a teenager I used to go to the big shuls to check out their sukkah but with little kids it's hard and not worth it.

Mrs Bissli

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 6:17 am

My suggestion is: focus on activities rather than food, make sure adults accompany little 'uns.

Ours was mixed-age group (4-10), but for under-6s we asked one adult to accompany the child. Basically most succot were just enough to accomodate the kiddies. We asked the host/hostesses to prepare quizes, games (for those with a garden), so I think the kids had just enough time to have a piece of something (fruit, crisps, popcorn, not all junkfoods). A few hosts brought something special they use at their house--a silver etrog case, an ushpizin tapestry--and told history about these. Another showed the children their pulley system to bring things from the kitchen--they were quite fascinated.

maryasha

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 11:14 am

it always reminded me of the non jewish holdiays aroundthis tijme of year, so I never let my kids go.

chocolate moose

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 11:19 am

dh used to take ds. that way he had control over what he ate and drank. I thought it was nice !

greenfire

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 11:23 am

imasinger wrote:

RedRuby wrote:

Now THAT sounds really fun, and like something I'd enjoy organizing. Thanks for the idea!

I'm in !!! I'll serve the beer Drunken Smile

imasinger

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 12:16 pm

greenfire wrote:

I'm in !!! I'll serve the beer Drunken Smile

You're invited! Can we serve just an eensy bit to your DD to help her sleep all night?

chaylizi

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 1:06 pm

my kids do not sukkah hop & I do not put out food for sukkah hoppers. I'm not interested in participating in "jewish" halloween.

chaylizi

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 1:10 pm

it has a really nice origin of course (at least in my city). R Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz sent Rabbanim here to start up a day school system. In the beginning, they had school on chol hamoed (so the kids would be doing appropriate activities). So they visited the neighborhood sukkos (the owners of which put out food & drinks for them) & went around making the bracha "leisheiv ba'sukkah" in each one. Now kids go around with empty pekelach & collect food from each sukkah. It isn't beautiful anymore & frankly I think it should be abolished.