AFIKOMAN

The Afikoman is the most important piece of the Seder. It's the part kids wait for all year long.

• Making - In step 4 - Yachatz, we take the middle Matza and break it in half and wrap it in the Afikoman cover (which can be any old napkin as well).
• Hiding - Sometime after this, when no one is looking - we secretly hide it. 
• Seeking - Usually, during the dinner, the kids search the house for the Afikoman. Adults are aloud to give clues.. help - whatever works in your family.
• Finding - The first person to find it is 'the winner'. In some families - everyone is a winner. They can hide several Afikomans or have the kids find it as a group. The finder keeps the Afikoman until step 12 of the ceremony - Zafun
• The prize - The Seder ceremony cannot conclude without this piece of Matza. So the Seder Master - will do anything.. and we mean anything to get it back. In some families, this mean the kids get to bargain for whatever gift they want in return. Other families buy their gifts in advance and also give it to all the kids, rather than the finder. 

Did you know that Afikoman means 'dessert' in Arameth? It's the same savory matza. The first time we eat a matza, is before we tell the story of the exodus, while we are still slaves. While the second time, when we eat the matza of the Afikoman, it tastes as sweet as our freedom.