Easter memories……..

Waiting for it to be time to go meet Lynne for Easter brunch at Lippera’s, yummy – and thinking of Easter in years past . . . . .
Hunting for Easter candy – my parents would hide candies all through the house – never outdoors that I remember, and never eggs, again that I remember, don’t know why. My sister and I would run from place to place: under sofa cushions, behind books, behind and under knickknacks – sometimes very easy, like next to the banisters on the stairs, sometimes harder, but we would run around like – well, like little kids – until we found all the candy. Then we’d compare who found the most. And of course, eat some.
The aunts would take us to church, and we probably had new spring outfits for that, although I cannot remember details of a single one. (Imagine me not remembering an outfit!)
There would be a family dinner, usually at the Big House, which was where my father and his siblings had grown up and his oldest sister still lived. As with all family dinners, lots of aunts and uncles and cousins – and food - one dinner I still remember was traditional Italian, with a pasta course that was enough for two dinners, then the full ham dinner, then salad, then desserts.
Since my sister’s birthday is in April sometimes they came on the same day and we would celebrate both.
When the kids were small we would go to my parents and they hid eggs for them – one year Stephanie came running in to the kitchen to tell the adults: “Sara just sat on one of Penny’s eggs and it was her most colorfable one!”
I hid candies for Sara, but it’s not as much fun with just one. Then I did for Stephen, up until he was maybe 13 or so – I think the last time was one year my sister and niece came over for dinner, and I hid things outside, since it was a nice day – Stephen and Rachel hunted, more to humor the adults than to find candies for themselves.
My sister did it for a few years for the younger kids, but they’re all pretty past it now, another ritual left behind.
When Stephen was small he would come over and we’d dye eggs together. I did some the other night, because it’s Easter and you have to have colored eggs; gave some to Sara in the basket I took there yesterday and I’ll eventually eat the rest myself, had one for breakfast.
Another day to reflect on the meaning of it, and maybe that’s why I dreamed about both of my parents last night.
Celebrate it however you do.
Happy Easter – renew, revive, reaffirm, rejoice