Do people dress up in costumes on Purim?
Children have the custom to wear costumes and many drunken men seem to have taken hold of this custom also. What exactly is the portions of food to be sent to my friends? You can send anything that is edible with out preparation. There should be two different types of foods. As an example: a bottle of wine and cake, or a can of sardines and a bag of popcorn. Even though asprin alkaselzer are a welcome relief, they do not qualify as two portions of food, since they are not food. The purpose is to spread the simcha (happiness). The minimum is two items to one friend, but many people try to send many food items to many of their friends. What about giving charity? Giving charity is considered a really big thing. How can we sit down to have a great time if some person is suffering because of financial straits? The minimum is to give two needy persons money. The more you give, the more praiseworthy you are. On Purim, we give to whom ever asks for money, hence the custom of Purim gelt (money)
