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sen10tious -> RE: How do you celebrate Easter? (3/13/2008 9:36:53 AM)
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We did a lot for Easter when the kids were little. It came about this way --
Our children were the only grandkids on my husband's side of the family, and for over a decade they were the only ones on my side as well. When they were small and all the grandparents, great aunts, and aunts were alive and healthy, Christmastime was a glut. If a five year-old runs out of energy opening gifts, they have too many! That was the day I decided there had to be a better way. I changed our budgeting and stopped buying the kids the Christmas gifts I wanted to get them. Yes, I felt a tiny bit of loss over that; what parent doesn't enjoy getting their kids Christmas gifts? But we redirected the bulk of what we'd have spent then toward Easter. It was the practical choice, especially since we lived in the Snow Belt at that time. By spring the Christmas mittens & sweaters would not be used. And they would need some outdoor toys, since tricycles with studded tires aren't a hot-ticket item. And then really, I know without Jesus' birth, the death and Resurrection would not have happened, but isn't the Blood Atonement a little higher in priorities to emphasize to our kids than Peace on Earth? I decided it was. How long does earth-life last? How long does Eternity? Furthermore, the church we attended at the time did low-key Easter. They did not even change the music!
So we did egg dying, cookie baking, egg hunting, house decorating, jello egg-molding, hiding of baskets with chocolate bunnies (and often with an inexpensive kite), special stories, making/writing/sending cards to grandparents (yeah, a bit of school stuff), glazed ham with the fixin's, a new outfit, and a major toy.
Ooo, I need to set up the egg tree, I'm late this year. No, Easter is early. The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228, which is 220 years from now. The last time it was this early was 1913. The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was the year 1818. So, no one alive today, has or will EVER see it any earlier than This Year!
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