We’ve all heard of people who start Pesach after Chanukah – and others who don’t get going until Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Which is the better way to do things?

Since I am a professional organizer, I naturally find myself thinking about Purim immediately after Chanukah. My mind then takes no longer than a second to automatically shift from Purim to Pesach!

In reality, there are four weeks after Purim to prepare for Pesach. So, does it pay to start thinking about Pesach so early? Why not focus on Chanukah when it is Chanukah, Purim when it is Purim, and Pesach when it is Pesach? The advantage of thinking ahead is to avoid that panicked feeling of realizing, about a week before, “Oh no, I’ve got to get Purim together!” or “How can I possibly finish everything before Pesach?” So, overall, I do think the benefits of being organized outweigh the pleasures of being nonchalant.

Part of the fun of Purim is sending mishlo’ach manos, and part of the fun of mishlo’ach manos is in being creative.

Presentation

Wrapping a package well makes all the difference in the world. You could give only two items, but if they are presented attractively, they are bound to impress. Last year, a friend of mine gave a small bottle of liqueur and chocolate gold coins. (For a two-bracha package, use nuts instead.) She put each in a separate box, then stacked the boxes with a piece of double-sided tape, wrapped them in cellophane, and tied them with a brown plaid ribbon. Beautiful!