Make Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, memorable and innovative by using some creative ways to add your own stamp to the celebrations or give imaginative gifts. At Ananya, we have done some research and offer you some simple, easy, yet effective suggestions.
1. Personalised Place Settings with a Difference
Each place setting uses an apple adorned with a golden leaf on which is written the guest’s name. This is what you will need:
- Heavy gold paper or gold cardboard
- hemp or ribbon
- a hole punch
Cut the gold paper into the shape of a leaf, in proportion to the size of the apple. Write the name of your guest on the leaf, make a hole at the base of the leaf and pass the hemp/ribbon through the hole and tie it to the stem of the apple. Do this for each guest and place each apple at the correct place setting. It’s quick and easy and looks elegant! If you want, you can write Shanah Tovah on each leaf and have the adorned apples as a centre piece.
You can also replace the apples with pomegranates, which are symbolic at Rosh Hashanah. For other craft ideas, check out Creative Jewish Mom.
2. Apples and Flowers, a Great Match!
Using apples in your flower arrangements is another novel idea to create drama to your table décor. You will need:
- A clear glass vase – either tall and narrow, square or round
- Some green apples
- Your choice of colourful flowers
If using a tall vase, place some green apples into the vase so they almost fill up the vase, add water, then arrange flowers in an oasis and place them at the top of the vase. The contrast between the green apples and the flowers will be striking! If you don’t want to arrange flowers at the top, simply place small colourful flowers interspersed with apples along the sides of the vase and fill it with water. The apples and flowers together will look beautiful. If you are using a round vase, you can fill it with water and add decorative twining stems around the interior of the vase, add apples up to the top of the vase, then allow some contrasting coloured flowers to float at the top of the vase – again the effect can be stunning! Use your imagination and create something unique!
Source: Project Wedding
3. Apples + Tea Lights = Ambience
So simple and so sweet – it can be used either as a centrepiece, on a sideboard or coffee table. You will need:
- Apples
- Tea lights
- Knife to carve
Cut out the centre of the apple to make enough space to fit a tea light comfortably in the apple so it is flush with the top. Then light the tea lights at the appropriate time and watch your friends go “wow”!
Source: Style Me Pretty
4. Going Natural
A gift basket with a difference; an English Ash wood foldable basket from sustainable resources in Cumbria is filled with goodies such as delicious luxury dried fruits and nuts, an Israeli wild flower raw honey, a bottle of Chenin Blanc and a wooden honey drizzler. This is a gift oozing with luxury and will last well beyond Rosh Hashanah.
There are also other choices on offer at Ripe Gifts to wish your loved ones Shanah Tovah!
5. Apples and Honey for a Sweet New Year
It is a simple gift, but full of meaning at Rosh Hashanah, from International gift wrapping expert Arona Khan. An apple sits atop a bottle of honey, both tied together with raffia with a bow at the top! Apples and honey to usher in a Sweet New Year!
While you may not be able to invite all your friends to your celebrations, you can let them know you remember and appreciate them by sending them a card; either with a gift, or by itself. A hand written card is always welcome. Ananya has a range of beautiful contemporary cards for Rosh Hashanah that are sure to please your friends. Make them feel special – send them a card.
Shanah Tovah!