Easter

Easter is one of those underrated holidays.

I mean, it’s kind of hard to beat Christmas- especially when you are a kid.

Halloween is also up there with the mounds of candy one can collect in a single night of hanging with friends.

Even Thanksgiving wins you over. Who can resist all of that delicious food that you only get all at once, one time a year? Plus the whole “gratefulness” thing adds a special tug on the heartstrings.

Easter has its special religious meaning, of course. It also has some chocolate and good food. Egg hunts are fun. But let’s be honest- the bunny is creepy. Santa at least appears jolly, so as a kid you forget the fact that an old man is entering your house one night a year when you sleep. But those black beady eyes of the bunny? That’s an image you hold onto when you try to sleep the Saturday before Easter Sunday.

However, Easter has grown in its significance for me over the years. I’ve enjoyed the new traditions we made when we entered college and didn’t have enough time to travel for our normal Easter celebration. Fun fact- my now husband joined my family for Easter before we started dating. (SO many slices about this day- let’s just say that grandma’s don’t have a filter).

Easter is special.

My daughter was born just after Easter one year. It was a tough call that year – we decided for the first time to stay home and not see family that weekend. I was still 2 weeks away from my due date, but I just felt that I needed to be home. I went into labor the very next day! (It took her another day to be born, but that’s another slice for another day).

Easter is memorable.

Two years after my daughter was born we celebrated Easter as a family of four for the first time. I vividly remember taking a picture of both kids before heading to church. I had to prop lil’N on the couch with a pillow- he was just shy of 6 weeks old. I snapped the picture and thought, “Hmm, he looks particularly awful.” I know- you shouldn’t think that of your children, but he appeared almost as if his eyes were rolled back in his head. I posted the picture anyway and it will forever haunt me as a Facebook memory as it shows up in my newsfeed every year. Easter was the day before he ended up being Life Flighted to a hospital further away. He did have his eyes in the back of his head in that picture and he did look awful and it’s because he was very sick. (I’m not sure I’ll be able to slice about that one for some time.)

Easter is renewal.

I’ve since added to my Facebook highlight reel with another picture of both kids while at church with Lil’N looking happy and healthy alongside his big sister. No propping needed for that picture! His eyes shine through, as bright and blue as ever.

Easter is family.

Easter was the first holiday we celebrated when the pandemic hit. We had already decided that we would celebrate Easter in our own house ever since big N had her first Easter. Family was welcome to visit, but we wouldn’t be traveling. That’s why it was so odd that we felt so far away from family that year because we hadn’t been planning on traveling to begin with. Maybe it’s because we felt we couldn’t that we were reminded about how important family was that year.

Easter is joyful.

I couldn’t help but think of all of these memories and more as I strolled along the Target aisles while I let Target tell me exactly what I needed for the Easter baskets (and my wardrobe, and the kids’ wardrobes, and my classroom, and the house because doesn’t everyone need a mini waffle maker that makes bunny shaped waffles?!). I started to smile about how important this holiday has become for me. In fact, it might just beat Christmas.

Easter is my new favorite holiday.