Easter Eggs

Mom used to get one or two packets of dyes that we could then use to color eggs. We used to experiment with mixing some of the dye near the end and see what colors we could get. I think we had to add vinegar to the hot water, probably to make the dye set. Of course, once you had finished getting everything in reach colored, then you had to listen to a reprimand for getting the dye on stuff other than the eggs. Besides, it was fun to get dye all over yourself as it took days to wear off.

Finally, you had to gather up younger brothers and sisters, and you got to hide the eggs, and they got to find them. This usually resulted in finding less of the eggs than were hidden and sometimes when the missing were found, a certain odor of sulphur was present. "The devil you say." "No, the devil made me do it." Oh well, it was just the sulphur smell that got me started on the devil.

If is was a better year financially there might be baskets filled with green plastic grass (which got all over), a chocolate rabbit (usually hollow) and some jelly beans. The dyed eggs could be added later, of course, to make the basket complete.

I always wondered what baby chickens and rabbits had to do with Easter, and also I always wondered why it was called Good Friday. It did not seem to me to be a good day for Jesus.

We continued these lovely traditions with our kids, and most continue with the grandchildren. I did want to learn how to decorate eggs like the Ukranians do. But my hands were only able to produce one colored egg at a time, and fancy decorations were beyond me.

After afew days went by, we were all sick of jelly beans, and the chocolate rabbits had long disappeared. Then we had to throw out the colored eggs since they had not been kept cold and had been handled too much in our egg hunts. The innocent days of childhood! The simple pleasures of the day are much to be treasured and preserved for tomorrow's children. Happy Easter!