Dressing in DISGUISE

Green flap hat is £22.99 from Amazon

Festivals can be a competitive time for parents of primary school children. It isn’t necessarily the kids who are consumed by rivalry; it’s the adults. Some grown-ups just can’t resist a craft challenge, so when pupils are asked to create a seder plate, a matzah cover or a replica of Noah’s ark, any mother or father with an artistic streak and ambitious nature will automatically take the lead as project architect. In families such as this, children are lucky if they get to hold a Pritt stick, as the elders dominate while assembling a finished piece that will obviously dazzle the teachers and annoy everyone else.

I will never forget the ark built by a ‘pupil’ at my daughter’s primary school, as this particular biblical boat had working lights, a plywood entry gate for the animals, and frankly put Noah’s e orts to shame. It was the dedication of those annoying parents that eventually nudged my husband towards building a working model of London Bridge for yet another primary school project – and that was followed by Purim. My husband dressed as Harry Potter to commemorate the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, and accompanied our daughter as Luna Lovegood; while I, in a previous year, agreed to be “just like her” as Princess Leia, complete with hair buns. Oh, the lengths we will go to celebrating victory over the Achaemenid Empire; I have even seen mothers wearing their favourite simcha dress to pass muster as Queen Esther.

But parents who don’t take part in the Purim

Be an ubercute Kyle Broflovski with this hat and coat

Parka is £19.50 from Argos out, because being ridiculed at the school gates in your costume balagan, using work as the excuse, are missing out, because being ridiculed at the school gates in your Where’s Wally? ensemble is the most fun you can have as an adult while making your child smile. As with the ark building, there will always be parents who hire the full Haman attire from Angels, but most of us make do or try to get inventive.

This Mrs Maisel dress is available from Amazon

Grappling in your wardrobe to conjure up a character is the cost-e ective route in these tough times, so I suggest emulating one of the many available Jewish film or TV characters.

One of the easiest costumes to pull together is that of Margot Tenenbaum of The Royal Tenenbaums

Grappling in your wardrobe to conjure up a charer’s old fur or a similar faux fur is all that’s required.

Played by Gwyneth Paltrow in Wes Anderson’s 2001 film, Margot always wears a mink coat, so your mother’s old fur or a similar faux fur is all that’s required. And the same movie also suits Dad as Ben Stiller playing Chas Tenenbaum is never out of an adidas red tracksuit.

For more current inspiration look no further than Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once You may not own the mustard rollneck, mustard beads or clear frame specs worn by tax inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre, but all of it can be delivered next day by Je Bezos, and daring to wear it demonstrates your a nity with popular culture.

With the final season of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel set to return this year, a Miriam ‘Midge’ gown is a must, if only to honour the work of series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. We have yet to discover whether the comedy housewife will wind up with Lenny Bruce in the finale, but 1950s attire will see you through Purim with pizzaz and provide you with a hostess dress for Pesach. There’s every chance your kids won’t know Mrs Maisel, but that’s likely to be the case if you’re not dressed as anyone from Stranger Things or Marvel, so make it simple and go with South Park’s only Jewish kid, Kyle Broflovski, as he crosses generations, plus his green earflap hat and orange parka will be useful– if questionable –additions to your spring wardrobe.

Mustard bead necklace is £17 from Amazon

Mustard rollneck is £7 from Amazon

Clear specs are £2.50 from Amazon

Jamie Lee Curtis as Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere

A Quick Costume for the kids

Pyjamas are the fast-track way to a fun costume and, to ace a Jewish sensibility, get a white onesie, add stu ed black tights as a tail and finish with a cut-out crown. Ta-da! –your child has been transformed into Max from Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are