A picture on a website caught my eye this week. It was a photo of a large glass bowl filled with Easter eggs. It was the simplicity in the photo that attracted me. The eggs were blue, red, yellow, green and purple. They didn’t have sophisticated designs on them, they weren’t stenciled with graphics or messages. They were just coloured eggs.
The only thing missing was the names — Ellen, Jack, Betty, Jim, Gord, Ken, Mom and Dad. Of course those were applied with a wax candle prior to dunking the eggs into the cups arranged in a row along the counter.
The cups were filled with hot water and vinegar and then a couple of drops of food colouring were added to each one, maybe more if you wanted a darker colour. It was a pretty simple process until someone decided they wanted a multi-coloured egg. The production was carried out under the supervision of Mom or a big sister, and the tricky part was taking them out with a big spoon and not dropping them or cracking the shell.
It’s a pretty simple memory but just remembering all of us in the kitchen at the same time, laughing and making a mess, is what our family home was about.
Easter Sunday meant grey slacks, white shirts, ties and blazers for the boys and dresses and hats for the ladies. I recall a minister once saying he was so impressed with the Easter Sunday fashions that he went down from the pulpit and remarked to a six-year-old girl what a beautiful Easter dress she was wearing.
She leaned into the microphone and sweetly replied, “Thank you, but my Mom says it’s a bitch to iron.”
Easter Sunday also meant a longer sermon than usual. My brothers and I have permanent pinch marks on our shoulders administered by a big sister in an attempt to curtail fidgeting. The church was full and the pews were crowded and non-regulars often upset the apple cart by sitting in a regular member’s permanent nest.
Everyone looked their best, we were all turning that corner into that new season we had been promised, the rock of winter was being rolled away and rebirth was all around us.
In the midst of the celebration, we may notice an emphasis on Easter goodies and chocolate bunnies. Though these traditions can make for a festive holiday, it’s important to take a step back to remember why we celebrate Easter, just as it’s important to have a meaningful Christmas.
Contrary to what some children may believe today, the two Marys were not on an Easter egg hunt when they found the rock had been rolled away from the tomb. But complacency can easily blend stories together and eventually the truth gets lost.
The four-day weekend allows for travel time and provides a great opportunity for families to gather, eat too much, and share memories. Some insist that ham is the Easter meal and others go with a traditional turkey but either way, it doesn’t have to have fancy a Martha Stewart touch. You can fill up on conversation.
Make sure you pick up some food colouring, vinegar and eggs when go shopping this week. Have everyone colour their own egg and see what happens. Remember, if you do go to church for the first time this year, make sure you’re not sitting in someone’s spot. At least that’s what McGregor says.