Easter has always been a time of celebration and feasting, with various traditions and customs developed in different families. Christians celebrate the holiday to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of the cherished Easter traditions have been around for centuries, with the Easter Bunny reportedly introduced to America by German immigrants who told the tale of an egg-laying hare. The tradition of decorating eggs and the Easter parade is believed to date back to at least the 13th century.
Egg rolling, egg tapping, egg toss and the always present egg hunt are some of the most popular games played at get-togethers. All this follows the attending of church services, sometimes a sunrise service, for many families. Many enjoy eating out at a favorite restaurant, or having a family dinner at home.
The younger set thinks of sweet treats and the Easter Bunny when they talk about the holiday. They probably also think of new clothes and baskets filled with various candy items.
The Larry and Barbara Page family enjoys the traditional family gathering on Easter, with a group of about 30 convening at their home. This year they decided to have it on Saturday before Easter Sunday. With attendees bringing a covered dish, the event was a delicious way to celebrate.
Following the meal they all gather outdoors for fun and games. In years past when their seven grandchildren were younger, they had the traditional egg hunt. Now with the youngest granddaughter 10 years old, and a 3-month-old great-granddaughter, they decided to try a different activity. This year five generations celebrated, with the oldest being Barbara’s father 85-year-old Colonel Arledge.
This year they enjoyed an egg toss game where real, not boiled, eggs were used. Participants drew numbers for their game partner, with both adults and children taking part.
You start out close to your partner, and with each toss, take a step back before tossing the egg. Of course as the distance grows, more exciting things happen. The skillful winners were April and Page Duke.
Brenda Kinnaird experienced her first egg toss and was very energetic in trying to catch a high toss when it burst, raining egg yolk down on her.
“We usually have some type of craft for the children to do, but this year we provided 8x10 tree prints, with each person attending putting their fingerprint on the tree to make the leaves for each family to take home,” said Barbara.
“Our celebration is a tradition where family comes together to enjoy,” said Barbara. “We want everyone to go away with a happy memory.”