Flashback Friday Easter

What was Easter like when you were little? For example, did you receive a basket with toys and candy? Was the Easter Bunny part of your family's celebration? Did your family integrate both secular and spiritual aspects of the day? Did you dye Easter eggs. . . .and did your family eat them afterwards? Did you usually get a new outfit? (Post a picture if you have one!) Does any Easter stand out particularly? You might also share how your Easter today is similar or different to your childhood.

Easter growing up was always very exciting! I should clarify that a little. Easter morning was not exciting. My parents would get us up very very early for the Sunrise Service. Sunrise service starts at 6 or 630 am. We would bundle up in our snow gear, drive out to the Peterson's field, crawl through the fence and join everyone else on the hill. People from all the different churches would gather together and sing and one of the pastors would have a short service. When it was done everyone would head to the hospital (it's a small town and the hospital is funded partially by one of the churches) for freshly made hot cross buns and coffee.

My family would head home and have a huge breakfast, followed by a scavenger hunt. Some years we wouldn't go to the Sunrise service and the day would start with the scavenger hunt followed by breakfast.

My mom and dad always out did themselves year after year. They would have these amazing clues that would have my brother and I running all over the property. Clues would lead us to the BBQ, the piano, out to the horse barn, even down to the garden! If you knew how far that was to run first thing in the morning you would sympathize with me! The one clue that I remember the most was about "tickling the ivories." We were too young at that point to know what that meant so we had to ask mom and dad for help. And that is when I first learned that expression. The last clue would be to where she had hidden our easter baskets filled with a special egg and toys. We had the same baskets through my entire childhood. We would have to hang them up on our doors before going to bed so the "easter bunny" could take it and fill it and then hide it.

Some years my birthday falls on Easter. These years mom would make a giant scavenger hunt with the final prize being the goodie bags. There were always lots and lots of chocolate around those years! More than usual! A couple of years ago, while I was at university, I specifically asked my mom not to send me any chocolate for my birthday as it was falling on easter. A few days before my birthday a big box arrives. I waited until my birthday morning to open it, as to my mom's instructions. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but not what I found. The box was absolutely stuffed with chocolate! Lots and lots and lot and lots of chocolate! It took me, and my best friend and her husband, months to eat all of it!

This year Easter will be very different as I will be spending it at work with my "kids." So I will be doing the hiding of the Easter Eggs this year. And trying to keep 2 kids from eating too much chocolate. :)

I have heard that in Christianity Easter is what it's all about. Some say Christmas is the big celebration, but without Easter there would be no point in His birth. So to all of you who pass by and read this, I hope you have a very Happy Easter!