Much of the magic of Easter, for young children, centers around Easter Baskets, The Easter Bunny and the eggs and treats he hides. Adults inhabit a different world. For the religious there is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, a concept difficult for the 6 year old mind to wrap around. For parents there is the pride associated with dressing their offspring in fancy new clothes, which young children invariably find uncomfortable. These children are then taken to church were they tug at their collars and yearn for the guy in the pulpit to stop talking so they can get back home and hunt out those chocolate rabbits and creme filled eggs hidden around the back yard.
At our house the Easter Bunny arrived as soon as re returned from church service We were herded into our parents bedroom at the front of the house while he went about his business in the yard.
We were then released to scamper about sniffing out the eggs and treats hidden among the shrubs and rosebushes. We could always rely on something being placed at the base of the concrete birdbath.
Waiting in my parents room always gave me time to ponder, even at 6 I had a tendency to over analyze things, how did the rabbit know the precise time we got home from church? Also, he went to the next door neighbors house in the morning and ours in the afternoon, a routine that seemed inefficient at best.
When my nephew was young he come to the conclusion that the Easter Bunny was a man in a bunny suit. My brother explained that he was a magic bunny, not a man in a bunny suit. My nephew insisted that his bunny suit theory was correct. They struck a deal. They would leave out both an apple and cookies. If the apple was eaten they would know the Easter Bunny was a bunny, if he ate the cookies my brother would concede that it was a man in a bunny suit.
It's a good thing my brother likes apples!
Happy Easter
Happy Spring Fertility Festival
Happy Passover
Let's see have I left anyone out........
I never really 'got' Easter as a holiday. when I was young and a religious Southern Baptist it was an all-day church thing. As I got older and more secular it was most;y about the chocolate bunnies. Now it is one of the 2-3 days per year I go to church...though not really sure why.
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