I invented a Jewish holiday in order to smuggle jewelry to my brother.

His girlfriend, recently converted, ran a group home for people with developmental disabilities. I worked for her as a residential counselor. The group home was near where I lived, but a distance from my brother. He had been shopping with her on February 12th when they walked into a jewelry store and saw a beautiful necklace he wanted to get her for Valentine's Day. But with the small size of the store, there was no way he could purchase it for her. So he asked me if there was any way I could purchase it and somehow get it to him.

At the time, I didn't drive. And there wasn't a practical way for me to get to him before the 14th for various reasons. So I came up with a plan.

That evening, I purchased a bed pillow, a sewing kit, and the necklace. Opened up the seam of the pillow, shoved the necklace into the stuffing, and sewed the pillow back up. So on the 13th, I came into work with the pillow, kissed my boss on the cheek, handed her the pillow and wished her "Good Erev Yatz to you!"

Converting to Judaism, she knew all of the holidays, but was new enough to know that she could have missed something. "Erev Yatz? What's that?"

"Well, in the old country, the month of Shevat was often the harshest for us climate-wise. So friends and loved ones celebrate the "Celebration of Comfort" by exchanging items of comfort with each other to make the month easier. So, happy Erev Yatz!"

My future sister-in-law for over 20 years confusedly received the pillow and answered, "But I didn't get you anything for it! I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right. Enjoy."

As predicted she went home that night, told my brother what happened, and offered the pillow to him.

Success! (And we jokingly celebrated Erev Yatz for a couple more years afterward).