Easter Vacation

The hidden eggs were all hunted, the baskets found with delight. Jelly beans became our condiment of the day…a little with each course! Chocolate eggs became the main course. Hard-boiled eggs, dyed and decorated to perfection, would be the finishing touch to a child’s menu. Leftover eggs were to be egg salad for the next day’s lunch. All this was done and gone before we had our three hour fast before communion at the  Easter Mass. We were busy little bunnies on Easter morning!

After Mass, our parents’ order of the day was to see that we had enough room in us for the Easter dinner. “NO MORE CANDY” was the dictate before dinner. “Can’t we at least just hold the baskets?” we would ask. (Riiiight!)

Very often the grandparents had the responsibility of keeping us clean till we had all of our pictures taken. Full skirts with petticoats and lace with flowered hats, white gloves and matching patent-leather shoes and pocketbooks were primped and fluffed for our annual display of finery. A navy blazer, a white shirt, a new necktie (just like dad’s), a pocket hanky with newly pressed creased pants and new bucks for shoes were the staple ensemble for the boys. A quick brush of the hand as a comb to put our hair in place, a pinch on the cheeks for blush and we were perfect for the portrait. An Easter portrait was always a hallmark event from year to year, usually with proudly held baskets and bunnies in hand.

By the end of the day, the shoes were set aside, lace and petticoats in place, ties and coats back in the closet. This felt so much like the start of a new year, more so than the cold day of January first. The sun and longer days felt so wonderful. Easter couldn’t get any better…or could it?

As a child, I remember that we had an Easter vacation immediately following Easter Sunday. As a student, it was most welcome as a break from school, as it contrasted so differently from a February vacation of snow and cold winds. Spring had officially arrived come Easter vacation. There was such preparation the week before at school for Holy Week. There was such preparation at home for Easter Sunday. It just wore a child out! The flowers, candy, sunshine and baskets full of straw brought color, warmth and promise of days to come. It was a time to sit back and watch the clouds go by. Easter vacation…ya gotta love it!

Cathy