Sign up to our monthly design newsletter just for teens!
Get must-have tips and tricks, videos and articles to help you stay on top of your design game – for free!
Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos. Those transformative days of shofar blasts, deep reflection, apple and honey, sukkah decorating, and family meals that seem to stretch on forever… And you? You’re at that in-between stage where you might feel too old for some of the kiddie crafts but not quite ready for full adult responsibility mode either.
But here’s the thing – these holidays don’t have to lose their magic just because you’re growing up! We asked YOU, our incredible teen community, how you make the fall holidays special, and your responses were absolutely inspiring. Let’s dive into some of this amazing wisdom…
Who says you need to stick to the same old routine? Some of you are taking classic traditions and making them uniquely yours. Take this genius approach to Rosh Hashana:
One special thing I do for Rosh Hashana is a personal apple shaped challah with a shot glass in the middle for honey. -Yael
How cool is that? She’s taking the traditional apple and honey and elevating it into something personal and beautiful. It’s still the same meaningful tradition, just with her own creative twist!
One of our community members shared something that really resonated with us about sukkah decorating:
We always use decor from previous years so on go those fake grapes, those nursery crafts and so on. Even if we don’t make a decoration in school, I always like to contribute something nice to the decor in our sukkah. So, the past few years what I have been making is a miniature. One year I did Dovid Hamelech’s garden and other years I did other such stuff. I love doing it and it feels good to have a part in making our sukkah beautiful. -Malky
This is so beautiful! Even when you’re surrounded by the same old decorations from years past, you can still add something meaningful and personal. Creating miniature scenes? That’s next-level creativity that makes the sukkah truly yours while honoring the family traditions. And another teen reminds us what it’s really about:
Our Sukkah is decorated with the kids arts ‘n’ crafts because what’s the point if the kids don’t have fun?!
-Esty
Sometimes the most beautiful decorations are the ones made with love, regardless of how “professional” they look.
Let’s talk about holiday meals! One family shared some favorites that sound absolutely delicious:
The Rosh Hashanah simanim we eat first, right after we wash and then we eat the rest of the meal. The highlight of the meal is the head of the fish, of course… Our favorite Sukkah food is a jelly roll cake – a total family tradition. We love a hot, steaming bowl of soup in the Sukkah at night, there’s just nothing like it!
-Esty
There’s something so cozy about that image – sitting in the sukkah with a warm bowl of soup, sharing that special jelly roll cake that’s become a family signature. These aren’t fancy restaurant meals, but they’re the foods that make holidays feel like HOME.
Here’s where one teen dropped some serious wisdom about making Chol Hamoed special:
Chol hamoed outings don’t have to be major. Something fun and simple is usually remembered more fondly than something big. (Ask any kid what their favourite part of an outing was, they will nearly always answer, ‘the coach ride’.) Get creative regarding outings. One year we were going to go to the zoo, but the car broke down; so we went to the grocery and bought anything we wanted that had an animal on it. Once we went to a toy shop and had a race to see who could find the most expensive/cheapest item in the shop. -Ruchy
This is GENIUS! When plans fall through, instead of being disappointed, turn it into an adventure. And that toy shop game sounds like so much fun – you’re making memories that are uniquely yours, not just following the same old script everyone else has.
She also made this beautiful point:
One thing you don’t have from these outings is bragging, it’s family memories that stay private, (because no-one shows off pictures of themselves at a pet store😉) -Ruchy
Sometimes the best moments are the ones that stay private – they’re just for you and your family to treasure.
This holy day brings its own unique challenges and opportunities for teens. Maybe you’re still figuring out how to make the fast meaningful without it feeling overwhelming, or you’re discovering new ways to connect with the davening that feel authentic to where you are in life.
Some ideas from teens we’ve spoken to: creating a personal reflection journal for the days leading up to Yom Kippur, setting one specific, achievable goal for personal growth, or even just allowing yourself to feel proud of completing your first few “real” fasts as you get older. The key is making it personal and not comparing your Yom Kippur experience to anyone else’s.
Let’s be honest for a second. One community member shared something we can all relate to:
The hardest part of Yom Tov is the serving, cleaning up after kids, and the hecticness. I would love some advice on how to keep calm on Yom Tov! -Esty
You know what? It’s totally okay to acknowledge that even the most beautiful holidays can be overwhelming sometimes. The key is finding those moments – like this family’s tradition of taking turns picking Chol Hamoed activities so they can “try to please all ages” – that make it all worthwhile.
The beauty of what you all shared is that there’s no one “right” way to do the holidays. Whether you’re:
…you’re all making these holidays meaningful in your own way.
So as we head into this holiday season, think about it: How are YOU going to make Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos amazing this year? Maybe you’ll try your hand at apple-shaped challah, set a meaningful personal goal for Yom Kippur, create your own sukkah masterpiece, or plan a totally unique Chol Hamoed adventure.
Remember: You don’t have to choose between “kid stuff” and “adult responsibilities.” You can create your own beautiful in-between space where traditions feel fresh, family time feels meaningful, and these holy yomim tovim become truly YOUR kind of amazing.
Wishing you all a sweet Rosh Hashana, a meaningful Yom Kippur, and a joyous Sukkos!
Get must-have tips and tricks, videos and articles to help you stay on top of your design game – for free!