Making Succos special - no Sukkah

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:27 pm

Looking for ideas to make Sukkos special for me and my kids. I'm a single mother and don't have a Sukkah. Of course we'll go to someone else's Sukkah a few times, but looking for ideas to make it special and not just a long Shabbos in my own apartment.

amother

NeonBlue ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:30 pm

How old are the kids?
New toys? Song together?
Invite friends to play? Go on a special walk somewhere nice?

amother

Beige

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:31 pm

Hang up sukkah decorations in your dining room! Buy sukkos-ish table settings. Of you have prime, Amazon has lemon themed (esrog;) and grassy looking things. I wish you and your family a beautiful yom tov!!

amother

Floralwhite ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:40 pm

I would make a fun table/meal like

Table runner
https://www.amazon.com/Artoid-.....ss_tl

Lulav and esrog dish - this type of look but possibly a scooped out lemon half with lemon sorbet rounded inside. Side by side with green sour sticks made into lulav.
https://www.kosher.com/article.....1282/

Or fill the lemon with cubes of your favorite dish and the table will be set with the dish in lemon side by side with the breadstick lulav.

Can the kids make hanging decorations to hang from each branch of the chandelier?

Maybe make a centerpiece with palms.

Good luck! Should be fun!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:45 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

How old are the kids?
New toys? Song together?
Invite friends to play? Go on a special walk somewhere nice?

Young, preschool and under.
We do those things for a regular Shabbos, I'm thinking more themed.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:45 pm

amother Beige wrote:

Thanks for the good wishes!

I like the idea of Sukkah paper goods - but what would that look like or where would I find it?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:53 pm

amother Floralwhite wrote:

Thanks! Ordered a table runner, exactly the type of thing I was looking for.

amother

↑ NeonBlue ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:53 pm

amother OP wrote:

Young, preschool and under.
We do those things for a regular Shabbos, I'm thinking more themed.

What about preparing decorations and table runner etc WITH them? Then they'd be so proud of their creations being displayed in the home?

amother

↑ NeonBlue ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 10:54 pm

Also at this age, realistically it may feel similar to a shabbos to them aside from the part of the day youre in the sukka and the minute they shake lulav
And I don't think there's anything wrong with that

amother

↑ Floralwhite

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 11:00 pm

amother OP wrote:

Thanks! Ordered a table runner, exactly the type of thing I was looking for.

I would possibly use lemon napkins and straws, and mix and match them with nice white paper goods and the table runner.
https://www.amazon.com/Decorat.....ss_tl

https://www.amazon.com/Disposa.....ss_tl

amother

↑ NeonBlue ↓

Sun, Oct 13 2024, 11:08 pm

Maybe I should start a spinoff but I'm so curious to hear what most of you think: do preschoolers even appreciate themed runners and napkins for more than 5 minutes? Is that something that will change their experience?
Isn't it more of an adult enjoyment?

essie14 ↓

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 1:32 am

Buy sukkah decorations and decorate your dining room like a sukkah. The kids will love it.
Chag sameach!

GoldenOra

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 1:35 am

Buy this and open it in your apartment!!
It’s on sale too
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6.....ss_tl

amother

Begonia

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 1:50 am

amother NeonBlue wrote:

I think so. My kids definitely remember special things like that from when they were younger.
Not fancy colored themes, but Y"T themes - yes.
It definitely made things exciting for them.

amother

Pumpkin

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 2:16 am

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Kids that age love themed things. They appreciate it more than adults.

chestnut

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 2:30 am

essie14 wrote:

Buy sukkah decorations and decorate your dining room like a sukkah. The kids will love it.
Chag sameach!

Maybe kids can even camp out in the living room on couches pretending they're sleeping in the sukkah

↑ essie14

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 2:54 am

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Will they remember your exact tablescape? No. They'll remember that you made Yom Tov special. And that's what's important.
Buy a Sukkot themed table runner and use it every year. It will become like a family heirloom.

Or a special lemon themed centerpiece. It's something special for the chag.

amother

Trillium

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 10:03 pm

What about something like this--

a toy pop up sukkah. Set it up inside and have a snack in it.

https://www.amazon.com/Childre.....wd-83

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Oct 14 2024, 10:11 pm

I happen not to like the pop up Sukkah ideas. A sukkah is a mitzvah, we don't need to pretend. But I ordered decor that will make me feel it.

Kids may not care, but if I feel the Yom Tov, then they will.