It’s hard to believe that we are celebrating Easter already. 2020 will certainly go down in history as a year we will never forget. The pandemic has completely changed our lives. It is sad we won’t be able to spend Easter with our extended families in the traditional way, but technology like Zoom, Facetime and Skype can help us stay connected. I am so inspired by a story about a grandma who is planning to cook a family recipe for her children and grandchildren on Easter using Zoom. She wants to make sure she teaches them so they continue to pass on their family’s traditions for generations to come. That got me thinking of ways to maintain some of my family’s traditions too during the quarantine.
My family likes to play games, so this year as an alternative to our usual egg hunt, or board games, we are considering a scavenger hunt where we will follow each other in separate cars (Paul and Kate will likely want to take the lead!) While this is not ideal, I know my nieces Meghan and Mandy will love it as much as me! Alternatively, there’s geocaching and even creating your very own virtual hunt. You will have to think outside the box a little, but hopefully these ideas will help you to brainstorm about some activities that you can plan too... and, it wouldn’t be Easter without Easter baskets. I’m not going to lie, I was sad to learn the Peeps factory had to shut down production, but it is certainly understandable and advisable; and while I’m not really a fan of Peeps myself, my husband Matt sure loves them- just wait ‘til he hears there’s no jelly beans either! So, the mix of goodies will be different this year, but I’m sure we’ll come up with something tasty. Then there’s Easter Eggs- did you know the egg is said to be an ancient symbol for new life and celebrating spring? It’s true, and Christians believe Easter eggs represent Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection. It’s funny to me how we just accept traditions like coloring eggs without questioning their intent or symbolism. So, in case you haven’t found the Paaz dye display at your market, below is a recipe for the ingredients you can usually find in your cupboard:
INGREDIENTS
1 Dozen Eggs
White Vinegar
Assorted Food Coloring
INSTRUCTIONS
- Gently place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Cover. Bring just to boil on high heat. Remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes. (Adjust time up or down by 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller).
- Pour off hot water and rapidly cool eggs by running them under cold water (or place in ice water) until completely cooled.
- Mix 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 10 to 20 drops of food color in a cup to achieve desired colors. Repeat for each color. Dip hard-cooked eggs in dye for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon, wire egg holder or tongs to add and remove eggs from the dye. Allow eggs to dry.
Source: McCormick.com, 2020
Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone. We will try to navigate this new normal together. In closing, I thought I’d share this inspiring act of solidarity with you. Today, while taking a walk past a neighbor’s house, we stumbled upon a message broadcast on their fence; they put sidewalk chalk out and encouraged everyone to write a message of prayer and support. I thought I’d share this heartfelt feeling of camaraderie with all of you too, see the picture above.
Finally, we pray that all of our nurses and doctors, grocery store workers, truck drivers, first responders and all our essential workers are safe from harm, they are all our heroes.
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Stay safe and healthy,
Chris and The Piper and Dune Family
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