Simple Last Minute Succah Decorations
The glorious 7/8 day Jewish holiday of Succot starts on Sunday night, so in my nieghborhood the drills are wizzing and there is lots of hammering as folks hurry to get their succahs built! That late night quiet with a few pounds here and there is something I have gotten to know well over the years as 2am seems to be the time when I generally am trying to get the succah decorated! Truthfully I have so many decorations from past years that at this point other than some new paper decorations, like the accordian folded medallions and the accordian folded leaves I shared last week, I think I’m going to go with decorations we already have, for the sake of sanity and sleep! Of course that could change, but with shabbos arriving before the holiday, and then just a day for last minute preparations, that does seem like the way to go…..On the other hand I have been cooking up a storm in order to leave time for succah decor, so we will just have to see how today goes! With three teens in the house who can do most of the hanging of lights and colorful fabric panels, I am feeling like today is going to be very productive day!
If you have not yet started succah decorations, not to worry, there are many quick and festive things one can make quickly, and I’ve assembled some for you here. The main idea is quantity, namely whether it be paper medallions, yarn balls, straw starbursts, or giant tassels, make a bunch, or rather a ton, to really fill those succah walls! And don’t forget, hanging real pomegranites, branches of dates and other items to represent the 7 holy species can also be your succah decor! Okay, lets take a look at those simple decoration ideas for the succah!
Simple accordian folded paper medallions are a winner every time! Add a tiny mirror or a circle of gold or patterned paper to the middle to give the medallions a finished look. I’m going to make vertical garlands with accordian folded leaves and a large medallion at the top as the ‘flower”, at least that is the plan!
Starburst straw ornaments are not eco-conscious, but you can save them for years, so that is! Plus they are waterproof for those living in places with likely rain. Fill your succah with just these and I can promise you it will be amazing!
Giant yarn tassels, or tassels made from string or even rag yarn (was planning to try that, but will save that idea for another year) are fun and simple to make.
Yarn ball ornaments are also fun and oh so simple, using a styrofoam ball or a bunch of crumpled paper as the middle…….I’ve hung these for years in the succah and they are the perfect addition to any decor.
That is it for my simple last minute succah decorations, enjoy! And yes, if you do loose a bit of sleep on that succah it is well worth it, as creating family memories that last a lifetime is worth loosing sleep over!
