Decorating ideas for break-the-fast

If you're planning a meal to conclude the holy day this year, there are some simple tips you can follow to make your space look inviting and festive but still be appropriate.

• People at your break the fast won't have eaten during the entire day, so the food should be the centrepiece of your gathering. Consider setting up a buffet and having stacks of bagels and spreads, fruit, small sandwiches, and tempting small sweets ready and waiting for your guests.
• After the fast, most people don't want anything too heavy or spicy and most will only sample, rather than filling a plate. Make their experience easier and create a bountiful atmosphere by decorating your table with food that looks as good as it tastes.
• Keep food simple, and prepare it all in advance. Provide a variety of refreshing hot and cold beverages.

• White is the colour of Yom Kippur because it symbolizes purity and a clean slate. So, honour the spirit of the day by decorating with white flowers, white candlesticks and white dinnerware.
• The food and any flowers or gifts people bring to your break-the-fast meal will be a great supplement and add a splash of colour to your basic white backdrop.

• Your children most likely won't be fasting for Yom Kippur, and because most of the day is sombre and adult-focused, they might be bored or feeling a bit left out.
• So, have them help with break-the-fast decorations by making handmade placemats for the event.
• Cut cardboard into appropriate sizes, then give them permanent markers and ask them to draw pictures about what the holiday means to them.
• Having your kids design placemats for your break the fast table is a great way to incorporate a family element into the holiday.

• People will want to snack and socialize at a break-the-fast meal. Think of it as a kind of "cocktail party" with hearty food, and place food in several rooms; perhaps bagels and spreads as people enter your home, heartier food in the dining room and kitchen, sweets in the living room.
• Or, place bowls of nuts as centrepieces on coffee tables, and fill candy dishes that can be passed easily with mints and sweets. Food always makes a festive and friendly addition, and it will be a welcome sight during break-the-fast.