“There would be no Christmas if there was no Easter.” ~ Gordon B. Hinckley
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My Favorite Holiday
HOW is it Palm Sunday weekend already?!?! Time flies friends, and I can’t say I am hating it right now! The sun is out in abundance, it has been warm, and spring is DEFINITELY in the air. And I am SO excited to celebrate Easter. Easter just might just be my favorite holiday. I absolutely adore Easter. As someone who was raised Catholic, I was raised with knowing the importance of Easter, it is the MOST important holiday for Christians. As the quote says, without Easter there would be no Christmas and it is true. Celebrating the Triduum runs the gamut on emotion, but also a great appreciation and deeper faith for my religion.
But that isn’t why I love it, at least not completely. Easter gives us hope. It falls at a time when we (or at least myself!) are exhausted from the long cold winter months where everything is so dreary and honestly dead. But come Easter, glimpses of life are beginning again, the days are sunnier, warmer, and all around longer. There is a feeling that we MADE it and are stronger for it and this is our reward. With the beautiful weather, it makes us that much more appreciative and I love how everyone just seems more cheerful and happier.
Easter Decorations
This year, especially, we have been blessed with an early spring and I am cherishing each and every day. It is especially poignant given the last year. I have always loved decorating for Easter because of the bright pastels and happy colors and I have LOVED compiling collages for my LIKEtoKNOW.it page. It truly is a day full of vibrant sunshine and happiness. Style and Home Decor is definitely and individual and unique style, which is why I had shied away from it, but I found so many cute things I couldn’t help sharing them with you friends. From egg wreaths and flower wreaths, to door hangers, and of course ALL the cutest throw pillows, these are cute ways to decorate without breaking the bank and yet STILL being celebratory.
This past year I have really gotten into faux floral designs. Flowers bring so much cheer and freshness and while real flowers can be expensive, not to mention, while I love them, I do have a tendency of killing them, faux flowers last forever. And I have been loving all the decorations incorporating them like this flower pot from Kohls.
Last year we really began utilizing our outdoor patio space, and this year my parents decided to expand on that. They just bought a larger patio set and fingers crossed (because it is New England) we will be celebrating Easter outside. I have always loved a good table setting complete with decor, and unfortunately because I lived in New York and didn’t own a table, I never had one, but it really is an easy way to dress-up and celebrate any holiday with the rich combination of table cloths, dishes, and decor.
Easter Village
Growing up my mom use to put up an Easter village every year. It was a colorful little place that had schools, and flower shops, and bakeries, and filled with bunnies running around it dressed in little calico outfits. I loved helping her put it up and arranging the figurines, and sometimes rearranging leading up to Easter, imagining what they were doing. As we got older, she began to give many of her pieces to my siblings and I. Packing them up for when I finally settled down. She still has a few she will put up and I always find them so festive and maybe even more whimsical then my Christmas village.
Decorating Eggs
I love decorating eggs. I am actually not a huge hard boiled egg fan (whaaaaa? And I do LOVE eggs just not hard boiled) or egg salad fan, but I LOVE decorating eggs. I think it goes back to my Eastern European roots for which Easter has always been a huge celebration. The decorating of eggs, which is called Pysanky, is a true art form. They use batik wax to create stunning designs. Going back even further, every Easter (beginning in 1885) the Tsar would commission for his Tsarina, a Fabergé egg which usually had a hidden scene or trinket.
While we were never that bougie, we would always dye eggs. My Mom would get Easter egg dying kits from the food store, which usually involved water and vinegar and get to work dying eggs. While there is a certain amount o fees to it, it was always fun to do. After they dried my Mom would always display them and that tradition has continued with my nephews and nieces.
Eater Morning and Hunts
Easter morning, has always been almost bigger then the afternoon. As kids, (though the tradition is still continued) we woke up to the bunny leaving paw prints (Three middle fingers dipped in white powder, baby powder usually works, but you can also use a white setting powder) EVERYWHERE (The bunny is ONE messy bunny!) and they still do. It was always exciting to see or baskets, and we would always have an egg hunt. Usually with the bunny torturing those who are shortest and us having to climb on chairs to reach our eggs. Afterwards we would have our traditional Slavish breakfast, which in my opinion was always the best part. I am excited to dress up (even if I am not going anywhere) eat all the candy, (because we should always enjoy guilt free) and celebrate spring, and exciting new beginnings.
Do you celebrate Easter? Do you decorate for Easter? What are some of your favorite Easter traditions?
I miss decorating eggs! Fingers crossed that you get perfect weather to put that new patio set to use!