10 Ways to Enjoy the Seder

I'm back from Ottawa. TG and I had a great 2 weeks together and both look forward to the day when we can close the nearly 3000 mile gap that separates us.  More on that in months to follow.

(and more on the title of the post at the end of this paragraph)

I'm sad to leave my TG but I am also happy to be home and to see Chester.  I've not really had a lot of time to sit down since I got home on Friday. I spent Shabbat afternoon with close friends and then went to a co-worker's birthday party.  Today I started some Pesach shopping and hit Target to add to my assortment of Pesach houshold stuff, and to buy heavy duty aluminum foil. :)  The main things I got today were a set of dishes, for $17.99. I got a 4 serving set of simple white dishes, mugs, plates, and salad plates. That's a great price and better than wasting 8 days worth of paper goods.  I also bought four glasses which cost me a total of $1.99 ! Not bad!  I already have one frying pan, a boiling pot, a cutting board, one sharp knife, serving utensils, a set of silverware that my mom gave me, serving bowls, tupperware; So, for someone who lives alone, I'm doing pretty good and have all the basics and can even entertain with proper dishes now. :) I even have a matzah holder and seder plate eventhough I don't host a seder yet.

And now for the title of the post...

I was perusing Pesach stuff online and came across this great list from AISH suggesting 10 ways to enjoy the seder. I'll give you my modified version here, but click the link in blue above for Aish's version.

1. Go to a dollar store and buy props to represent the plagues or purchase these ten plagues finger puppets. I have some and they're a hit! Kids love them...and shamelessly, so do the adults.
2. Give prizes to kids and guests for asking good questions and participating which is a big part of this special holiday.  Incentives are not bribes. They work and are great.
3. Everyone should pick a pouring partner and have fun  being served like royalty for the night.
4.  For fun, or to keep the kids awake, try reading in accents. Or, for the retelling of the Exodus, my family takes a children's book with the story, tears the pages out, laminates them, passes out pages and has each guest tell the story as if reading a child a book. The pictures are great and keep everyone involved.
5. Encourage discussion and questioning.
6. Remember to eat a light meal, BEFORE, the seder. That way you can focus on the Haggadah and not on your grumbling stomach.
7. Pre-assign topics for you guests to discuss. It gets everyone involved, people learn, and it takes pressure off the leader.
8. Make sure you have all the SAME Haggadahs for your guests.
9. Get the Passover Box of Questions cards.  I have these and they're great quality and pretty interesting. Hopefully I'll get a chance to use them this year.
10. Have kids decorate pillow covers in advance. Make them royal like, so when they lean while eating, they have something homemade and special.

Have a wonderful Pesach whatever you do.