“Simcha Suds” is something my father a”h came up with when I was about 11 years old and until this day, I have the fondest memories of my Father on Purim.
It was his favorite Yom Tov and in retrospect I think that Purim is a unique opportunity to bring people in our community close to yiddishkeit.
There is something about the energy and chayus of Purim that gives life to what Yiddishkeit is all about…that genuine simcha….I see now that it makes sense that my father was so attached to this Yom Tov….so creative, so expressive and so full of Simcha…
Here is an easy theme and a perfect one for a basic yet authentic Purim event with some added fun!
I have shared this with a few shluchos who were requesting ideas for a Simcha Theme….so here it goes…
- Printed “Simcha Suds” Labels from www.myownlabels.com (or your own avery label design) (search beer bottle labels and Beer bottle boxes or wine boxes in packaging for the ones here.)  would be great on any drinks that are bubbly! You can make a drink bar (not only with alcoholic drinks or not even with alcoholic drinks….I will use Martinellis Sparkling Apple Cider, Perrier sparkling water etc.) and wrap your drinks in cute labels or if you do not want the expense of buying many labels, I would make a center piece, maybe creating height on the table with a draped box, and a cake platter on top with   a “simcha suds” display.
- When creating your label, you could write “Enjoy these ‘Simcha Suds’ from Purim at Chabad of….” (you may need to write “*Simcha means Joy”…depending on your community.
- Another idea is to use this as part of Mishloach Manos, either to the community or for Baal Habatim. You could even put a label on only one bottle and on the box and then fill the other box compartments with Hamantashen, fruit, etc. (or use any box and add a bottle of “simcha suds”.
- You could also send this to fellow shluchim as a “Farbrengen in a Box”…with a jar of herring (?), cookies,, crackers.etc.
- Another idea for a Simcha theme is to rent a photo booth and have costumes available, so people in the community could get their “Simcha” photo taken as a fun Purim memento.
- A less expensive idea and for those without this option would be to purchase disposable cameras and decorate them, even with a basic label with “Purim Photo Instructions”…suggesting that each table take Happy Simcha Photos! Then you will process the film and have great memories to show!
- A center piece idea would be to fill a vase with beans, flax seeds etc. and add some smiles! By either printing or purchasing or creating your own…you could glue a smile to a large popsicle stick. Add these to the vase, maybe 10 – 12 per vase and allow your guests to use them for the photo shoot! (taken from the disposable camera on each table!!)
- You may wish to choose a comedian for entertainment or a clown show for the kids.
- Mishloach Manos could be a bottle of Sparkling water ( I like the ones in my photo above, made by “Hint”) with a “simcha suds” label and some wrapped hamantashen, and some of those “smile” gummie candy. Even chocolate smile lolly pops would be cute or even regular lolly pops in their wrapper with a smiley face sticker on top would make it all come together in one sweet package!
One Response
Love your ideas, Chana! They bring me much simcha! Seriously. 🙂 Rivka
On Jan 1, 2013, at 3:02 PM, chana’s art room wrote:
WordPress.com chanascop posted: “[caption id="attachment_601" align="aligncenter" width="584"] The label I chose was specifically found under the “Beer Label” option. I chose this design as it looked liked Purim to me with the crown etc. but really any label could be created, even oval (“