27
Mar

Celebrating Easter With My Family & Friends- Travels Of The Texas Twins…

I love holidays and spending time with my family and this year was no exception.  My friends Rebecca Bowman and Christy Holder had invited my family and I to their annual Easter Egg Hunt & Luncheon yesterday.  Rebbecca told me that Easter is the one time of year that everyone must bring something (large or small) for the feast (potluck) and stuffed eggs for the hunt while “getting along with their inlaws and outlaws.”  Rebecca had a good plan since most family get togethers have a few inlaws and outlaws.

When we were children my Aunt Shirley would spend days decorating eggs and making cakes, cupcakes and cookies for the church.  We have many fond memories of church socials because my aunt recognized the importance of keeping us in church and involved with the community.

Today my Aunt Shirley owns and operates the Mingus Food Pantry while continuing to make her traditional Easter eggs and meal for her grandchildren and children.

Our good friend Tammi Leggett joined us on our Walmart adventure while grabbing last minute items to take to the Bowman-Holder Event.  

Buying stuffed eggs and colas along with chips and dips, Maryssa and Makenna were shopping with me when the Easter Bunny approached us at Walmart bearing gifts of candy and chocolate eggs.

 Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts which do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars which follow only the cycle of the sun; rather, it’s date is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar.

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar.  In many languages, the words “Easter” and “Passover” are identical or very similar.  The Easter Lily is a symbol of resurrection and traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Eastertide.  Additional customs that are observed by both Christians and Non Christians include egg hunting, the Easter Bunny and Easter Parades.

From Easter photos to Easter Hats, celebrating and spending time over a meal with family and friends is a continuing tradition for many. 

This year I wanted photos of all of my grandnieces together to remember a time when everyone was together prior to my niece Leigh Ann and Latest Little Pawner Madyson Blais leaving to join her husband Alex who is anxious to join his family in May at a Navy Base.

Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney- The Little Pawners and Twin Sisters
 From egg hunting to decorating to breaking bread- Easter Traditions have always been important to my twin sister and I because we want our children and grandchildren to recognize and honor this tradition even when we are no longer here. Teaching our children traditions to share with their children is very important to my sister and I because we were raised without a mother ourselves and recognize the importance of giving our children and grandchildren something to look forward to as well as the understanding of what religious holidays are.  

 From playing frisbee in the yard to football and kickball, the twins had a great time staying busy as we waited for everyone else to arrive and eat prior to hiding the eggs.  This year was the first year that the twins would not be hunting and instead be hiding the eggs.  At what age children are “too old” to engage in the hunting of eggs is very controversial on the Internet and because of this, my twin and I have decided to let the little twins decide when they feel too old or no longer have an interest in hunting Easter Eggs.  This morning they are very busy decorating eggs at my sisters house and I’m writing this blog to help them understand why eggs are related to Easter and also why traditions of bunnies and eggs are involved since Makenna told me that bunnies don’t have eggs. 

    
    

 Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given out to celebrate the Easter festival.  The custom of the Easter egg originated in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion.  As such, for Christians, the Easter egg is a symbol of the empty tomb.  The oldest tradition is to use dyed chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute eggs made from chocolate or plastic eggs filled with candy such as jellybeans.

The Easter Bunny is a popular Easter gift giving character analogous to Santa Claus in American culture.  Many Americans follow the tradition of coloring hard boiled eggs and giving baskets of candy.  On Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn for young children.  Since the rabbit is a pest in Australia, the Easter Bilby is available as an alternative.  Easter eggs are a widely popular symbol of new life in Poland and other Slavic counties folk traditions.  A batik-like decorating process known as pisanka produces intricate, brilliantly colored eggs.

The celebrated House of Fabrege’ workshops created exquisite jewelled eggs for the Russian Imperial Court.

Many moms still give Easter gifts to children and I’m one of them because who says you’re ever too old for an Easter Gift?  

Spending the day with friends yesterday and sharing the joy of watching small children open their eggs was fun for everyone.

Wendy M Wortham