Easter, also known as "Resurrection Day" has been a huge holiday for our family since even before I came along, and I am 58. Growing up, we got the traditional Easter baskets filled with dyed eggs and candy, maybe a small cheap toy like a chick that jumped/danced when wound up, and a small chicken that had wire legs that wrapped around the tops of the baskets to keep them in place.
We'd attend Mass, then go to my paternal grandparent's where my grandpa would hide Easter baskets full of candy and dyed eggs for us to find behind trees or bushes, unless it rained, and then they'd be hidden indoors behind doors or furniture, but never hidden too hard for us small ones to find.
My grandma would make a huge feast of ham, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, limas, a salad with dressings to choose from, dinner rolls, pies, cake, quick breads, and once Watergate Salad was created by Kraft in 1975, this became a tradition.
We'd stuff ourselves, talk, laugh, and make jokes. Board games, cards, and if nice enough outside, a game of baseball. I have pictures from 1971 of us playing baseball. My uncles and grandfather could sure hit that ball! My grandparents lives in the country so we had plenty of room, though we often had to run over into the cornfield to find the ball.
Sometimes we also went to our maternal great grandparent's house to visit and then home late with very tired children in tow.
I grew up, became Born Again, and my kids went to church year round as I did, including Resurrection Day. My kids got Easter baskets, but instead of little cheap Easter toys, I got them each a book. We still went to my grandparent's and my In-laws until they passed away.
My kids have continued these traditions and added their own with their own children One of my daughters has other siblings donate candy and small items and she and her kids stuff plastic eggs. These are brought to our house where they are hidden outside and the children 12 and under go to find them, though the older ones know to let the little ones find their share
A time of prayer and the Resurrection story is told and then we eat and make memories just as my grandparents did for us. I also make a ham and mashed potatoes, veggies and baked goods, just as my grandma did, though I vary the baked goods
In the beginning I made baskets for the grandchildren, but now some of them are grown up and some are coming this year. With 24 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, I no longer make baskets, though I do buy some candy to sit out for all to nibble on as they wish.
I have participated in two Seders, which was interesting, and my church opens up a time on Thursday evening for families and individuals to come and partake of Communion and have a time of reflection and prayer in remembrance of why we celebrate Resurrection day,
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter have always been huge holidays for our family as I was growing up and I have kept all of them important Holy Days with our family today. Each one of these holidays are days to give thanks to God for the blessings He has poured out on us. My husband's family also celebrates similar to mine.
