# What should I be for Purim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 22, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930 "2010-02-22T00:55:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/1 "2010-02-22T00:55:12Z")
Last year I was the color blue. In theory, anyway- the people I delivered gift baskets to told me I looked like a corpse. What should I dress up as this year? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/2 "2010-02-22T00:58:35Z")
What are the basic standards for Purim costumes? I assume there are some things that would be considered in poor taste or forbidden. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/3 "2010-02-22T01:12:25Z")
Would you mind explaining to this clueless goy how Purim is celebrated? In particular, what specifically is the purpose of dressing up? All I know about the holiday is what is recorded in Est(h)er. If the rationale is anything like Halloween, and you want something with geek cred, I’d suggest looking at the [Halloween costumes](http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Halloween_Costumes) in the Homestar Runner universe. They’ve got some pretty esoteric references, and, to me, part of the fun of dressing up is making people guess what you are. And hopefully there are some that would not be forbidden. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/4 "2010-02-22T01:33:21Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > What are the basic standards for Purim costumes? I assume there are some things that would be considered in poor taste or forbidden. Purim is celebrated with costumes, games of chance, and drinking, if you are of age to do so. Gift baskets of sweets may be exchanged. Hametashen cookies are baked and devoured. The “traditional” costumes are the story characters from the Purim story, like Esther and King Ahasverus. (Vashti REPRESENT!). Hmmm, I do like conceptual costumes. I gotta think. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/5 "2010-02-22T01:49:03Z")
Hmm, what to dress up as for a Jewish dress-up holiday. Well, I’d have to recommend the most famous Jew of all–Jebus H. Christ himself! Well, that or Hitler–a little comedy never hurt anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/6 "2010-02-22T02:07:01Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Would you mind explaining to this clueless goy how Purim is celebrated? In particular, what specifically is the purpose of dressing up? All I know about the holiday is what is recorded in Est(h)er. Like what **Hello Again** said. Basically, Purim is a holiday for goofing off, so one of the traditions is that people dress up. I don’t have any costumes on hand, I was just wondering if there was something clever I could make from facepaint and colorful scarves, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/7 "2010-02-22T02:34:13Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Like what **Hello Again** said. Basically, Purim is a holiday for goofing off, so one of the traditions is that people dress up. > > I don’t have any costumes on hand, I was just wondering if there was something clever I could make from facepaint and colorful scarves, or something. How about, like a sunset, with all the colorful scarves, and your face is the sun? ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/8 "2010-02-22T02:39:52Z")
Scent yourself like patchouli, dress in red and do your make up so you look permanently angry. You’ll be incensed. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/9 "2010-02-22T17:46:44Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > How about, like a sunset, with all the colorful scarves, and your face is the sun? That would be a good idea, if almost all my scarves weren’t blue/green/purple. Maybe I could recommend it to someone else. > [@Serenata67](#): > > Scent yourself like patchouli, dress in red and do your make up so you look permanently angry. > > You’ll be incensed. _snerk_ For the record, I also have a coil of copper wire. And cardboard. And a kitschy belly-dancerish hat from Turkey, but I’ve worn it for the past two or three years in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/10 "2010-02-22T18:44:06Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > That would be a good idea, if almost all my scarves weren’t blue/green/purple. Maybe I could recommend it to someone else. No probs. You’re the ocean at night, and your face is the moon. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/11 "2010-02-22T19:24:13Z")
> [@hello again](#): > > no probs. You’re the ocean at night, and your face is the moon. that is so cool! ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/12 "2010-02-22T21:03:12Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > No probs. You’re the ocean at night, and your face is the moon. May I suggest [some inspiration](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Le_Voyage_dans_la_lune.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/13 "2010-02-22T21:09:48Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Hmm, what to dress up as for a Jewish dress-up holiday. Well, I’d have to recommend the most famous Jew of all–Jebus H. Christ himself! > > Well, that or Hitler–a little comedy never hurt anyone. **Rand Rover** , don’t shit all over this thread. It’s not funny, and your implication is uncalled for. **Ellen Cherry MPSIMS Moderator** ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/14 "2010-02-23T00:19:03Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > No probs. You’re the ocean at night, and your face is the moon. I just might. When I get back home I’ll take an inventory. ---
**Author:** ![Wallet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e99b99/32.png) [@Wallet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallet)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/15 "2010-02-23T03:42:35Z")
For a school party, my son’s friend is going as Haman, and my son is going as his psychoanalyst (“Hmm, so where do you think this irrational hatred of Jews comes from? It’s your mother, isn’t it…”) He made up business cards, has a clipboard with probing questions - my child certainly has a different way of thinking… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/16 "2010-02-23T15:24:03Z")
The funniest Purim costume I ever saw was Haman’s ear. This kid in my Hebrew School took a bedsheet or something, drew a giant ear on it, cut a hole for his head and wore it. It was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/17 "2010-02-23T15:41:12Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > For the record, I also have a coil of copper wire. And cardboard. And a kitschy belly-dancerish hat from Turkey, but I’ve worn it for the past two or three years in a row. You could use the wite to make a big loop from shoulder to shoulder and hang the blue and green scarves from it. Then you could be a fish in the sea or a mermaid. I’m not sure if more copper wire to be a dangly hook would be funny or not. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-be-for-purim/529930/18 "2010-02-28T18:47:47Z")
Update: I borrowed some of my mom’s scarves to be the sun. In theory, anyway. No one has any idea what the heck I’m suppose to be (“A jester? A tree in autumn? A character from Avatar?”), which is very fun to watch.