It’s time to celebrate! Easter combines many events.
In our country, the most common is Christianity. Easter is
believed to be the day church services are most attended. Praise
and celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the third day
after his crucifixion are the highlight of services.
The
date Easter falls each year is not set by a calendar. It
is said to be set on the first Sunday after or on the
first
full moon after the spring equinox as set in the year 325 — always
between March 22 and April 25. (Did you follow all that?)
Easter fell in March this year but will not be until April
20 next
year.
Although
Easter is celebrated as the most popular Christian holiday
it is also recognized as a pagan celebration of
spring by Germanic tribes. The Easter Bunny actually
dates back
to the 1700s when German immigrants arrived in America
and introduced
their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Oschter
Haws.”
History suggests Easter precedes Christianity. But the rabbit,
the beginning of spring, the colored eggs, Easter bonnets,
baskets and even the peeps go back as far as medieval times.
Like all history, the further back it goes the less accurate
it becomes with much controversy.
Coloring eggs as an Easter tradition began in the 13th century
when pagans boiled eggs laid during the Lenten season to preserve
them. They would hide them because they were forbidden to eat
them during Lent. At the end of the fasting period, they decorated
and ate them at Easter as a celebration.
The many traditions and tales surrounding Easter seem beyond
belief, but I know the holiday always provided many great activities
in my family. I recall a year during my childhood while coloring
eggs the hard boiled ones got mixed with the fresh ones. There
were many chuckles in the following days after the holiday,
especially when making egg salad.
Hiding
the eggs was always a big event with my children along with
the hiding of baskets filled
with once-a-year
treats.
One year I hid a basket upstairs behind the kid’s
beds and they rushed down so fast they did not
see it. Much later,
after an exhaustive search of the house, that
final basket was found.
Dressing
up for church and going to Grandma’s
for dinner was a tradition shared by many families,
including
mine.
Back in those days, Easter bonnets were quite
the style and all
the ladies wore them. The egg hunt was always
a highlight, and each year the kids failed
to find
them all right
away. They would turn up as the days went by
but when one that
had been cracked got hid in a shoe, it put
up quite a stink!
As
I see it, Easter is one of the most memorable days of the
year for many families. I wish
you and your
families a very
Happy Easter and memorable gathering — and
may all the eggs be found!