Purim is almost here! If you’re not super-familiar with this jubilant and kid-friendly holiday, you can visit the PJ Library Purim hub to get the full scoop on traditions, activities, recipes, videos, and more.
Dressing up in costumes and partying with friends and community is probably the hands-down best part of Purim, but creating and delivering mishloach manot (Purim gift baskets) for friends and family is a very close second. People send mishloach manot for a couple of reasons. While it's nice to share a little love with friends and family, giving gifts at Purim is also a reminder to care about the needs of others, especially those who may be struggling.
You can use just about any kind of container or gift bag to deliver your mishloach manot. Whether you DIY, buy, or do a mix of both to create and fill your parcel is up to you. Below you’ll find suggestions for store-bought goodies to put in your mishloach manot, along with recipes for cooking with your children. If your kids like to get hands-on there are also crafty suggestions for creating your own gift boxes, baskets, and packages.
What to Put in Your Gift Basket
You can put just about any ready-to-eat item in your mishloach manot. If your kids are taking charge of this year’s gift baskets, give them some guidelines about simple things to include. Hamantaschen and fresh fruit are standbys, while trail mix and fruit leather are healthy snack options that can be store bought or made from scratch. Check out each section below for recipe ideas, or skip down to learn how to create your own special baskets.
Hamantaschen
No gift basket would be complete without these signature Purim baked goods, and there are sooo many ways to make them! Check out the video above, or pick a recipe from the links below to try out with your family:
Trailmix or Granola Bars
Keep your kids occupied during your next grocery shopping excursion by letting them “shop” for their own trailmix add-ins. Older kids can hone their close reading skills while younger kids get to “help” the grownups with the errand. If you want to get a little bit fancier than trailmix, you can also try one of the recipes below:
Fruit Leather
Whether you enjoy the foot-long store bought version or make your own, these dried fruit snacks are a hit with all ages. The video above features a super simple two-ingredient recipe.
Fresh Fruit
Who doesn’t like fruit? Toss in a clementine, an apple, a banana, or try something slightly more exciting like dragon or starfruit.
Creative Containers
Wrap up your mishloach manot goodies with these fun DIY vessels. Don’t have time to make your own gift baskets? Bookmark these crafty ideas for the next time you’re dealing with a snow day or an unexpected long weekend, or you just need a few minutes to get some work done.
More
Visit the PJ Library Purim Hub for quick costume ideas, book lists, music, and a Purim TV special to watch with your kids!
February 27, 2018