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As a part of the Passover tradition, children steal the afikomen, a piece of matzah that must be returned before the seder can conclude. They are persuaded to return the afikomen in exchange for gifts, although these gifts can vary widely from family to family. Traditionally, children are allowed to negotiate the ransom, so you may have to persuade them to accept the gifts that you have in mind.
Instructions
Determine who is responsible for providing a ransom for the afikomen as well as negotiating with the children. While the host may typically take charge of this task, a guest is often asked to handle it instead. You'll want to get an exact count of the number of children expected and learn who is considered a child, as some families allow children to participate in ransoming the afikomen well into their teens.
Check with parents regarding acceptable gifts for their children. Some parents may prefer educational or religious gifts to the more traditional gifts of money or candy. You may have to avoid gifts that aggravate allergies.
Give gifts that can be equitably divided between the children present. As several families may gather to observe Passover, you must select gifts that each child can take a portion of when he goes home.
Check any Passover candy or food for a "heckscher" that proves it is kosher for Passover. A typical heckscher is the letter U or the letter K inside a circle. Chocolate and other candies that are kosher for Passover are available at most grocery stores that carry matzah and other Passover staples.
Negotiate with the children ransoming the afikomen to determine what gifts they will accept in exchange for a return of the afikomen. Some children are able to negotiate much better bargains than you may have expected, and you may have to add to the gift you originally offered in order to retrieve the afikomen.
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