(I'm taking this walk down memory lane today, in case it sparks an idea for a new tradition for your family...)
Growing up, my mom started a wonderful tradition for our family at Easter. My brother, sister, and I were the super secret Easter bunnies of Madison Street. I'm sure all the sweet widow ladies who lived near us knew who was ringing their doorbells every Easter Eve, leaving little Easter baskets, and giggling and running to hide behind a tree to watch the door being opened. The neighbors came to expect us those Saturday nights, and left on their porch lights to help us find our way.
For about a week before Easter, our mom would line the kitchen counter with 6-8 assorted baskets. Some years, these baskets would be the green plastic strawberry "baskets." Other years, we'd use small baskets collected throughout the year. (Remember, this was before Hobby Lobby--or any craft store in our small town. Gathering enough baskets was a secret gift of our mom's.) Many times the neighbors would return their baskets...for a mysterious re-filling.
My sister and I would help adorn the baskets with ribbon--carefully weaving ribbon through the green strawberry baskets, or tying bows around basket handles. (Our brother only participated in the egg manufacturing and delivery departments.) Mom would also select the treasures for the baskets--sometimes cute little yellow chicks or bunny figurines, or little soaps or lotions. Always, there would be pretty pastel candy to divide up, like robin's egg jelly beans (decidedly better than the regular ones!), a foil-wrapped chocolate bunny or two, some malted milk eggs, and sometime starting in the 1980's--the interesting to look at, but kind of sickening to eat Cadbury egg.
Of course, what is the centerpiece of any respectable Easter basket? Why, the dyed eggs, of course! That was always an early Easter Eve activity. Smelling white vinegar always takes me back to those days--dunking the warm hard boiled eggs into the tinted vinegar water. My brother, sister, and I took turns decorating those eggs. The solid bright blue ones were always my favorite, and usually found spots of honor in our neighbor baskets.
After we'd fill all the baskets, my brother would be in charge of the delivery tactics. We liked delivering within view of each other--watching the drop-off and heart-stopping run to hide was always the highlight of the night. A tumble over a tree root always had the other sister and brother rolling on the grass laughing. Silently laughing, of course. Stealth delivery was of utmost importance, and one we took very seriously!
At the end of the Easter basket deliveries, we'd always walk together through the front door of our home, laughing and telling our parents about each drop-off, each near discovery by an eager door-opener. I remember always feeling very satisfied afterward, thinking about each sweet widow, each neighbor, knowing that on Easter morning everyone in our neighborhood felt loved.
Kind of like how God feels about the gift He sent to us. Isn't there a verse about Jesus knocking at each of our doorsteps? I'm so glad He didn't run and hide before I could answer. Aren't you?
What about you? What are your fun Easter memories?
What memories are you making with your family this Easter?
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me." -Revelation 3:20
Linked up with:
