I like to decorate my house for special occasions, although I’ve gotten busier and busier over the years so I don’t do as much as I used to. In fact for the past two years I haven’t decorated a big tree at Christmas time. I’ve simply brought out an assortment of little knick-knacks, hand towels and so on with a holiday theme.
I have a collection of seasonal trinkets that I rotate through the year to at least acknowledge holidays and changing seasons.
For Halloween, I have a pumpkin wall-hanging that my son Gideon made in elementary school and some creepy character candles on display. For Thanksgiving, I have “my pilgrims,” two adorable little Styrofoam figures that Gideon and Ben made at daycare. They are complemented by dish towels and a table cloth with a fall theme.
I also have a few decorations for Valentine’s Day, which are still on display. I have some pretty hearts on an end table and a funky red stuffed monkey holding a heart that says “I love you” sitting on the couch.
I don’t know about News-Herald readers, but Easter snuck up on me this year. I haven’t found the time and energy to put away those Valentine’s Day items and to haul up the Rubbermaid tub with Easter goodies.
It’s not that I don’t like Easter—I cherish the special day. I have many happy memories of special Easter dresses for joyous church services when I was little. One of my earliest memories is of finding my Easter basket sitting on top of our electric meter when I must have been about 5 years old. I remember many happy evenings spent dyeing eggs with the scent of vinegar in the air, arguing with my sister over whose turn it was to use the purple dye.
I enjoyed creating clues and making my boys search for their Easter baskets until they got too old for that torment. I’m delighted that now my grandkids get excited about dyeing eggs and Easter egg hunts in my yard.
But, I’m not ready for the holiday this year. As I write this, Easter is just a few days away and I haven’t bought a ham or found my stash of plastic eggs.
I did a little research and I found out that I’m not imagining the time crunch. Easter—on Sunday, March 27—is earlier this year than it has been for quite a while. The good folks at Wikipedia report that last year Easter was on April 5. The year before Easter fell on April 20. In 2013, Easter was also in March, but it was still not this early, it was on March 31.
Wikipedia explains that Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The earliest Easter in history was apparently in 1818 when the full moon fell on Saturday, March 21. Since that was the equinox, Easter was the very next day, March 22. I’m glad someone else keeps track of all that!
So although it seems too early to say this, it’s not—Happy Easter everyone!
All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!
Lucy Van Pelt (in Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz)
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