An informal poll

[rhu]

In your opinion, assuming that the seder starts at 8:30pm, at what time should you get to the meal, and at what time should the seder end?

Comments

Eat at 9:30, end Seder by 11:30

[jikamens.livejournal.com]

EOM

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

It really depends on who's at the seder, doesn't it? LIke, what ages are at the seder?

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

To some degree, yes. But I'm trying to get at what people's personal preference is. Obviously someone who answers "end when the students come in to announce that it's time for the morning Sh'ma" is assuming that the kids, if any, will have gone to bed hours earlier. Personally, even before we had kids in the picture, I was unhappy with sedarim that went past 11:30. (Jik's numbers above happen to match my ideal exactly.)

To give away what I'm looking for (hoping that people will respond first and then look at the comments) I'm wondering whether this is a bimodal distribution.

[sethg]

Obviously someone who answers "end when the students come in to announce that it's time for the morning Sh'ma" is assuming that the kids, if any, will have gone to bed hours earlier.

...and assuming either that they won't wake their parents at 8:00 in the morning, or that at least one parent has had a erev-Pesach nap long enough to prepare for a nigh-sleepless Pesach night and make up for whatever sleep was lost while preparing for the holiday.

Assuming all the logistical issues could be resolved to the satisfaction of wife and children, I'd love to do a seder immediately followed by shacharit, but I doubt this will be practical for quite a while.

[cazique.livejournal.com]

Not the most observant Jew here, but I'm most happy if the Seder's over by 8:30! (And this was true pre-kids, but even more so now.)

[42itous.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was gonna say! I'm used to seders starting around 6, and by the time we get to the meal at around 7:30 or 8, I'm famished!

If the seder starts at 8:30, it should be over by 11. And supper should be at 8!

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

We're planning a "large snack" around 5:30 with chicken, kugel, etc. And "the meal" will be matza ball soup and dessert.

[lucretia-borgia.livejournal.com]

I'd think 10 for shulchan orech, and end the seder by 11:30. Possibly with a break to put the kids to bed.

For our adult seder: 10-10:30 shulchan orech, 12:30 or so for nirtza.

[fauxklore]

I'd figure on eating around 10 and ending at midnight. But I come from the sort of family that always sang every verse of everything, possibly because my grandfather was a cantor.

[rubrick.livejournal.com]

I haven't been to a seder in many years, but speaking as my 10-year-old self, I'd say "meal around 9:30, end when everyone else is no longer willing to entertain me (or pretend to be entertained by me)."

As a perennial Youngest Son who adored attention and loved reading aloud (both still true), I really couldn't get enough. And my mom's matzah ball soup was and is spectacular.

[cellio]

Assuming this is "should" as in "personal ideal" rather than the predictive "should"... meal between 10 and 10:30 depending on quality and amount of discussion, end by 2AM (with most of the after-meal time being singing and conversation, of course along with finishing the haggadah but not just that).

I don't think I have the stamina these days to do as the rabbis in the haggadah did. :-) But I'd love to have a seder that engaging!

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I'd say 10 and 12... but reality varies widely.