For all of the creative souls who thrive
on crafting clever packages and coordinating themes, Purim is their time to shine! In the middle
of Adar, these individuals take their place atop the pedestal of wonder, arranging
gorgeous shalach manos, orchestrating a stunning seudah,
and wearing the ultimate badge of creativity: a home-made costume.
Do-it-yourself
costumes range from something simple, like running a ribbon through the top of
a fabric curtain to make a cape, to such clever creations as tying a dozen men’s
ties around your arms and claiming you are a tie rack. There are funny
costumes, such as writing on a T-shirt “ERROR 404 – COSTUME NOT FOUND,” and “punny”
costumes, like taping numbers to yourself and telling people that you are
someone they can really “count on.”
Contrary to
popular belief, the ability (and pleasure) of making a costume is not held
exclusively by the creative. Rather, it belongs to anyone who is partial to
problem solving, using their imagination, and pushing past their preconceived
limitations. It feels so good to see what you can do with your time and
talents, as long as you remember that the goal is not perfection but, rather, to
enjoy the experience.
Whether you fasten
the fabric with simple stitches, safety pins, or hot glue, keep in mind that
your handiwork hardly has to last the day. You are not selling your outfits nor
displaying them for judgment. You are bringing joy to a child (or an adult) who
feels special because you took the time to make something special just for
them.
Three words of
warning: glitter is forever. The costume itself may not last longer than the
candy does, but if you use glitter, it will be in your couch and in your
kitchen for weeks to come. As you are cleaning for Pesach, it will be hard to
remember why you thought adding glitter to the costume was a good idea in the
first place.
Buying a costume
can be costly, but making one does not require a large investment. You can get
almost all of your supplies from the Dollar Store. You can make dozens of
different costumes using just one twin bed sheet as your base and simply adding
some accessories (but not glitter…please, not the glitter). At the same time,
you are making memories and will find yourself talking about your adventures in
costuming for years to come.
As long as you
don’t get overwhelmed by the task, or cause unnecessary stress to those around
you, making a costume shows that you care. It demonstrates your desire to be
involved in the preparations for Purim in a very real way. Especially in this
generation, where we want everything delivered overnight and not have to ever
wait in line for carpool, it also reminds everyone who sees you that what is
valuable is not necessarily the perfection you can purchase but the process of
producing something with patience.
There is a concept
that according to the effort is the reward, and the time you invest in
personally enhancing your Purim will be rewarded indeed. There is a deep
satisfaction upon seeing smiles light up the faces of everyone who comes across
your homemade “masterpiece.” The fact that you made it with your own two hands
gives you the top tier on the pedestal of Purim prep.
Debbie
Glazer lives in Pikesville with her husband and seven children and teaches
Language Arts in Bnos Yisroel High School. She can often be found either
writing or reading and loves to share her passion for the written word with
others.
