An Excuse for a Party

Our backyard without a sukkah.

This blog is called “We Bought a Sukkah,” but we haven’t actually bought one yet. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. For the past few years I, my husband and our son (and, more recently, our now 15-month old daughter) have had a perfectly good time attending parties in other people’s sukkahs, the temporary structures that Jews put up in their yards every year to celebrate the harvest festival of Sukkot, which literally means “Booths.” I was hoping we’d get invited to some more this year.

But then, about a month ago, a good friend—one who throws great sukkah dinner parties— says to me, “You and Eric should really build a sukkah. He’s handy. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

You have to understand, I’ve always liked the idea of building our own sukkah. They taught us at Hebrew school that you’re supposed to eat in one every year and even sleep in one. Lying out under the stars (you’re supposed to be able to see through the roof—that’s how temporary these things are) sounded so nice. But I also grew up in Kansas, where every year cold, windy storms sort of put a damper on that kind of thing, and until we joined Temple Sholom I never got invited to anyone’s sukkah to actually eat in one, let alone camp out. The closest I ever got was hanging fruit up in the sukkah at our synagogue when I was, like, five.

“They’re the perfect outdoor party space,” says my friend, which I have to admit is true.

“I don’t know. It seems like a lot of work,” I say. “Maybe when my kids are older.”

“But when they’re young like this is when you make memories,” says the mom of two. “It’s such a fun Jewish holiday. You know how much fun it is to decorate a Christmas tree?” I nod. Secretly (and sometimes not so secretly, if the term “Hannukah bush” means anything to you), I believe that every Jew suffers Christmas tree envy. “Well, we get to decorate this every year. It’s so much fun!”

I realize that I can buy those twinkly lights I’ve always wanted.

Sold.