The Passing of the Easter Corsage

One of my fondest memories from Easter is that my dad would buy Easter corsages for my mom and I.  I always looked forward to putting on my Easter dress and having my dad pin my corsage onto my dress.  It made me feel special and always like I was much more grown up than I really was.  It was a sweet gesture and one that still makes my heart smile a little.  


I wonder if Easter traditions like this are being tossed aside for neon colored peeps and other overdone Easter phenomenon.  The pastor at church told a story today about a conversation between a little girl and her mother regarding Easter.  The little girl would ask if the Easter bunny would bring her purple jelly beans.  The mother answered with yes, but do you know how much Jesus loves you and that is why we celebrate Easter?  It went back and forth between the two with the daughter continuing to ask about purple jelly beans and the mother continuing to reference Jesus' part in Easter.  Finally the little asked her mother if Jesus would be bringing her Tootsie Rolls too.  Humorous yes, but also a reflection of the commercialization of this and other holidays.  It makes you wonder if we are missing the point.  Another part of the service asked if we are simply walking through our lives or if we are truly living.  I have to wonder if we have lost the art of living and instead are trapped in a perpetual trap of commercialism and getting ahead.  When are there enough video games?  Enough cars?  When is the house big enough?  It causes me to reflect back to the house I spent much of childhood in.  Modest, two bedrooms and one bathroom, with a yard as big as a park.  I didn't care much that I had to share the bathroom or even a bed with my cousin or brother.  It made the memories stronger and it helped us to learn the art of adaptation.  We loved the big back yard with the fruit trees, the smell of fresh cut grass, the walks to the park with grandpa.  We hadn't a care in the world, everything was right, we were at grandma's house and ANYTHING was possible.  The land of homemade bread, canned jelly and fruit and endless hours of checkers and cards.  Easter meant a new outfit (usually sewn by grandma) and a small basket with a bunny and his little yellow scarf  made of chocolate, and maybe a few jelly bean eggs.  We were thrilled by this little treat. We didn't need giant Easter baskets with video games, the latest and greatest sports tools, stickers, crayons, or whatever else they cram into the baskets these days.  Simpler was better and it taught us to appreciate the little things, like malted milk eggs.  


How did you celebrate Easter today?  Did you make memories or create your own Easter traditions?  Were they simple or extravagant?  Which Easter traditions do you miss from your past that still make you smile to yourself?  Leave a comment and share them...I would love hear what they are.  As for me, next year I will bring back the corsage tradition, it will always make me think of my dad and perhaps my sons will take that simple tradition into their future.  


Happy Easter.