Purim Lattice Boxes

It's customary on Purim to give gifts of food to friends, called mishloach manot in Hebrew (or shalach manos in Yiddish). Every year I make increasingly insane papercut mishloach manot packages for this ritual of edible gift giving. These boxes were inspired by the mashrabiya and jaali, latticework traditions of the world "from India to Ethiopia" — regions ruled by Achashverosh (Esther 1:1). Each little box is filled with fun treats, as well as a little LED balloon light. Close the box and place the light in the apex, and the words "Happy Purim" shine on the tabletop.

Colloquially called "harem windows," these screens provided privacy and shade to those inside. In the Purim story, Esther lived hidden in the king's palace. But when the time was right, at the darkest time, she revealed herself and saved her people. She shined. This box was made for Purim 2020 in early spring, during fraught political circumstances, which informed my approach to themes. I made two designs while prototyping this box, and being unable to pick which I liked better, I made both! As usual, the text and details are all cut out of paper, not printed, and the boxes use no adhesives of any kind. Happy Purim!