Our 64 Year Old Easter Bunny
I suspect Easter is a holiday many celebrate in the Columbia area. After all, it is a major holy day for many of us that we’ve been reminded of throughout the season of Lent.
Then, of course, there is the celebration of the Easter Bunny coming to our homes and leaving tasty sweet treats that end up in many little mouths and on many adult hips.
I have a multitude of decorations for each holiday we celebrate in our house. There used to be over 30 stuffed paper boxes of holiday decorations, mostly Christmas things, but at least two boxes of Easter decorations.
I got them out last weekend and began deciding which ones would go where. Since I had eight family and friends coming over for lunch on Sunday, I decided to get all the eggs out that we collected each year for my son and use them as a center piece from one end of the 13 foot table setting to another.
While we did give my son some candy each year, we always gave him a collectable egg of some kind to symbolize the Easter season…much like we did at Christmas when we gave him one special ornament each year that was just his…all to be used on his first tree when he moved out on his own.
When family gathers here, we always seem to pull out one or more of the over 35 three ring binders of family memories. These have pictures and other memorabilia carefully placed in those thousands of pages from 1888 on.
It doesn’t take long to see a pattern around the Easter season. There is a picture of Pierce’s Dad – almost from birth – holding a leather Easter Bunny.
We still have that Easter Bunny. It’s worn but still part of the family tradition. My now 24 year old son has taken his picture with it for years as well.
Just so you know, it gets more and more difficult to get him to take a picture with that bunny. The older he gets, the less he wants to be seen taking a picture together with it. Some Easters we have to take the picture on the sly when he happens to be near it but not aware the click of the camera is about to occur.
This year, was no different.
Our Leather Easter Bunny is at least 64 years old. He has been through more Easters than most of us. If he could talk I imagine he would have plenty of stories to tell. One thing for sure, he will likely continue to be part of our Easters for years to come as we continue taking pictures for posterity’s sake.
My wish for you today is that you embrace the holidays that are special to you and your family and make some good memories together. It may not be a leather Easter Bunny you remember, but I suspect, if you stop to think about it, there may be some good memory you can enjoy. If not, start one for the next holiday and begin your own tradition.
~ Joellen