On this second day of Easter (most of Europe has two holidays!) allow me to reminisce.
Yesterday it was 22 years that we started our adventure in Ireland. We developed a tradition in our new home that we had brought with us from Germany.
Our neighbors’ kids were flummoxed that there was an Easter Bunny to visit German children that brought them sweets and colored eggs—even to those living abroad. In our first year we could see our new neighbors peep through their front windows. It wasn’t customary at the time to have an egg hunt in Ireland. In the following years we invited them to join us but often Mass took precedence so that they couldn't make it.Much to their chagrin.
Since the weather was often dreadful and our offspring couldn’t be relied on always finding what had been left for them in obscure places, we came up with a clever strategy. On Easter Sunday, Mac would take us through the gardens pretending to look for hidden eggs. He had all the goodies in his big overcoat and dispensed them furtively as he went along. Amy and Patrick hung back with me, thoroughly inspecting each shrub and little tree for possible hiding places. The garden was big enough for him to forge ahead without them noticing. This maneuver had a double benefit. Neither did the chocolates or colored and decorated eggs get soaked nor did we find surprises later in the year when some gardening was going on in that area. We also continued the German tradition of decorating the house with fresh spring twigs and blossom, ornate with decorated eggs, bunnies or butterflies.
The Ex Farmer's Wife
Our neighbors’ kids were flummoxed that there was an Easter Bunny to visit German children that brought them sweets and colored eggs—even to those living abroad. In our first year we could see our new neighbors peep through their front windows. It wasn’t customary at the time to have an egg hunt in Ireland. In the following years we invited them to join us but often Mass took precedence so that they couldn't make it.Much to their chagrin.
Since the weather was often dreadful and our offspring couldn’t be relied on always finding what had been left for them in obscure places, we came up with a clever strategy. On Easter Sunday, Mac would take us through the gardens pretending to look for hidden eggs. He had all the goodies in his big overcoat and dispensed them furtively as he went along. Amy and Patrick hung back with me, thoroughly inspecting each shrub and little tree for possible hiding places. The garden was big enough for him to forge ahead without them noticing. This maneuver had a double benefit. Neither did the chocolates or colored and decorated eggs get soaked nor did we find surprises later in the year when some gardening was going on in that area. We also continued the German tradition of decorating the house with fresh spring twigs and blossom, ornate with decorated eggs, bunnies or butterflies.
The Ex Farmer's Wife
That is such a cute picture.
ReplyDeleteWe all develop strategies to keep and enjoy the Easter egg hunt while avoiding the pitfalls. Easter for us happens when there's still many feet of snow outside so the Easter happened in the house. It became something like Christmas morning after a fashion. After an afternoon of the kids and I coloring a dozen eggs usually with crayons but sometimes with dies, my husband and I (or just me) waiting up very late for the kids to fall asleep and then the Easter bunny would come and hide the colored eggs all around the house. Then the Easter baskets loaded with goodies would be left on the table. Breakfast was of course hard-boiled eggs and chocolate. hahaha