Easter traditions change, but the joy is still with us

Easter is one of those holidays which probably started out very serious. Church, candles, singing, processions, somber services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, then Easter lilies and eggs on Sunday morning. Over the years it has gone from Holy, Holy to “Holy-Moley… that Easter Bunny walks like Uncle Fred.”

I’m not saying we’ve messed it up. Centuries ago, they were dying eggs, giving away chocolates, and hanging banners from the windows to celebrate new life… and the Easter promise. Of course, they dyed their own eggs, made their own chocolates, and sewed the banners. Today we order new ones every year… from Amazon, praying for a quick delivery.

The Easter holiday has always been a pastel, flowery, sweet-scented time. It’s a time for getting together… with the school children for an egg hunt, and with the choir for a cantata.

Although the holiday has always pulled in relatives and friends from around the area for the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ on Sunday morning and the celebration of the Holy Ham for lunch after church. Deviled eggs, brightly colored Jello salad, and enough potato salad to fill a bathtub crowd the table with every family bringing a laundry basket full of their “special” pies, cakes, and strawberry delights.

Most of my generation celebrated with a hunt for boiled, dyed eggs, a chocolate bunny, and a basket full of shredded cellophane “grass.” Girls had a new hat, some clean white gloves, and some lacy socks to wear with our white “plastic” shoes. Protestant girls got one good wearing of the hats while some of our Catholic friends wore their hats all summer. The white gloves were usually stained before church service… the red, yellow, and green food coloring rubbed easily off the eggs. My mother insisted on taking an Easter picture with gloves, hats, and new lace dresses. We’d take our full Easter baskets and stand stiffly in front of the Bridal Wreath bush or the rose bush if Easter were later in the year.

Easter has changed some. The eggs are plastic, the candy is pre-wrapped and found inside the eggs, and the chocolate bunny comes wrapped in gold foil. We don’t dress as formally. Most of us don’t buy a special outfit to drag out on Easter morning. We’ll be wearing bunny ears, bunny slippers, and even a bunny costume or two. Whether we are at Sunday school or Grandma’s house, it will be a day of wonder.

A few weeks ago, we were knee deep in snow. Now, Easter is next Sunday, and the grass is greening, the weeds are begging to hide an egg, and new life has come again to damaged trees and flower beds. There aren’t as many home decorated Easter baskets anymore, but those who have them are thrilled by the plethora of Easter toys. Chickens that dance, multiple Peeps, fluffy bunnies and ducks in all sizes, and enough candy to throw most of us into a “sugar high.” There are Jellybeans, marshmallow eggs, Cadbury eggs that look like real eggs when they are broken, chocolate bunnies and kisses and every variety of candy… only this time of year they are wrapped in pastel foil.

Ah, the joy, the music, the flowers, and the fun. Because he lives, we celebrate.