Text and Styling by Esther Ottensoser
Photography by Sina Mizrahi

Along with Lag B’omer comes the upsherens and a whole variety of activities that are unique to this special day. Here are some ideas to add your own personal touch to these festivities.

Edible Bonfires

Strike it right with these adorable matches and mini roasted marshmallows!

You will need:

• Sippies candy straws
• red chocolate
• thin pretzel sticks
• mini marshmallows

To make the matches: Melt a few squares of red chocolate. Dip the Sippies into the chocolate. Allow to dry on a piece of parchment paper.

To make the mini roasted marshmallows: Stick the mini marshmallows onto the pretzel sticks. Carefully stick the marshmallows into a fire for a few seconds to roast.

Yarmulke Candy Boxes

I recently came across a fun item called a shaker dome. They can be filled with confetti, glitter, or candy to add an extra touch to your projects. Besides coming in many different shapes, they have an adhesive on the rim so they can be attached to anything. Since the domes resemble a yarmulke shape, I thought it would be cute to use them for an upsheren party.

You will need:

• 2-inch cube boxes
• candy of your choice
• 1¼-inch circle shaker domes
  (available on Amazon)
• Oodles candy
• labels

Fill box with candy or your choice.

Fill domes with Oodles (only a tiny amount is needed).

Remove adhesive from the dome and carefully attach the dome to the top of a box. (Since the dome is filled with Oodles, you may find it easier to hold the dome in one hand and turn the box upside down to attach it.)

Apply label.

Labels pictured here are by Leah Borenstein, omgdesign@aol.com, 347-419-3570

Party Animals

Animal cake toppers are an easy way to make an adorable birthday cake in honor of an upsheren or any other birthday. The animals make a great memento after the party, to be enjoyed for years to come! You can make your own birthday cake or simply buy one at your local bakery.

You will need:

• birthday cake
• scissors
• scrapbooking paper
• glue or tape
• mini pompoms
• toy animals (these are from Michaels)

Cut out scrapbooking paper and glue or tape to make the mini birthday hats. Add pompoms.

Attach birthday hats to the animals with glue or tape.

Place animals onto the cake.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 841)