Published by deborah.woehr on 14 Apr 2006 at 03:50 pm
Easter Joys and Traditions
A cashier asked me what I had planned for Easter. When I told her about my trip, she confided in me that she hadn’t had a weekend off in over a year and that she was taking this one. We started talking about how more and more businesses are not observing traditional holidays. For instance, our local Chevy’s Mexican restaurant was open on Christmas Day.
The attitudes Christmas and Easter have changed to a degree, familywise. When I was growing up, these holidays were spent going to church and/or family gatherings. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You sat down on a hard bench and sang depressing songs.
Then you went home and suffered through a dry turkey/ham with all of your relatives. Later in the evening, you had the option of suffering through the old-Hollywood version of the Ten Commandments.
Today, I know plenty of people who still follow those traditions. With the exception of this year, I always threw a brunch and invited my family over to watch the kids hunt for eggs. It’s been years since any of us have set foot inside a church. Once the festivities were over (usually between noon and 1pm), everybody went home.
I’m glad we’re doing something different this year, although I’ll miss seeing my youngest beat his brother in the egg hunt contest. I love his maniacal laugh and the way his eyes light up when he realizes that he’s winning. To me, they’re the best part about Easter. Otherwise, as Fred said, it’s just another day.
Have a wonderful Easter! 
michaelm on 15 Apr 2006 at 3:30 am #
Hey Deb-
Interesting observation. It’s sad that our holidays have changed; traditions are such wonderful things.
It’s not as if we make a concious effort to change them but with our lives so busy holidays are more an afterthought. It’s really a tragedy when they’re viewed as “just another day”.
Have a great holiday.
~michael
deborah.woehr on 15 Apr 2006 at 7:13 am #
You, too, Michael.
It’s amazing (and somewhat sad) how much things have changed over the last twenty years.
Karen Lee Field on 16 Apr 2006 at 1:09 am #
Happy Easter, Deborah, and enjoy your holiday.
For me, Easter means a few days off work, nothing more. We never make a fuss over this “holiday”, but that is our tradition.
pat kirby on 17 Apr 2006 at 7:49 am #
Since I’m a heathen and my immediate family is composed of heathens, Easter’s never been a big deal. When I was little, there was the egg hunting thing, but I outgrew that fast. Sometimes, we’ve head up to the mountains for a hike.
This Easter I worked in the yard and my husband worked on his latest gate commission. Had barbecued chicken for supper, did some reading and went to bed. Same as any other Sunday.
Marti on 18 Apr 2006 at 6:20 am #
I hope you had a wonderful time!
Fredcq on 19 Apr 2006 at 3:35 am #
Glad that you had a good Easter. It was nice to do something different. We enjoyed the Zoo. It was a nice change of pace. Otherwise, we would have been inside all day. It was 70 and sunny. Great day!
deborah.woehr on 23 Apr 2006 at 8:39 am #
Karen: Thank you.
I hope you had a good holiday.
Pat: My mother tried to get us interested in church, but we hated it. After awhile, she gave up and focused on the egg hunting thing, which I didn’t outgrow until I had kids. If my husband and I never had kids, we’d be doing the same thing as you.
Marti: I had a great time!
Fred: I’m glad the weather cooperated for you so you could enjoy the zoo.
I’ll stop by your blog later to see if you’ve written anything about it.
Yes, it is nice to do something different. We landed in Phoenix on Easter Sunday and received glorious sunshine and 80-degree weather. That was a sharp contrast to the heavy rain we’d left behind.