Confessions of a Practical Blonde: Where Have All the Bonnets Gone?
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Easter is right around the corner. It came very early this year. Do you know why? Historically, Easter is held the first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of spring. This year, the first full moon is Friday night, March 21.
For Christians, Easter is very important. It is the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Somewhere along the way, a rabbit, jellybeans and a bunch of plastic eggs became intertwined with the holiday.
<L2>I did a little Googling and found out that the Easter Bunny was most likely introduced into American folklore by German settlers in the 1700s. The arrival of the Oschter Haws (Easter Bunny) was as important as the arrival of Christ Kindel (Chris Kringle aka Santa Claus).
Children believed if they were good, the Easter Bunny would leave a nest of colored eggs. Originally the children would make nests in a secluded place in the home. The girls would make their nest out of their bonnets; the boys used their caps. The use of Easter baskets began in the 19th century.
For me, Easter is a signal that spring is here. Which means warmer weather. Any question why Easter would be one of my favorite holidays? Plus, as an added bonus, I get to enjoy my mom's baked ham - best in western Massachusetts.
Paas, Pez and Peeps
Our Easter traditions included dying Easter eggs using the Paas dying kits. After our fish fry on Good Friday, my mom would start to boil eggs. My dad would open the Paas kit and I pretended to be a mad scientist working with chemicals. I was really only working with a little vinegar and a food-color tablet. In my head, however, I was creating a concoction that would save the world and, of course, turn hard-boiled eggs blue!
After we finished dying the eggs, we would leave them on the table for the Easter Bunny to hide. I remember one Easter Sunday morning when I got up to find that an egg had been placed in my slipper! What was the Easter Bunny thinking? We found eggs all over the house that morning. One of the great joys of childhood is an Easter egg hunt.
Our Easter baskets always included a new Pez dispenser with a popular cartoon character. Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Popeye and Pluto were some of the dispensers I remember. Today, you can get any famous character out there. I recently bought a Little Mermaid and Spider-Man dispensers and they were not for my niece and nephew. They were gifts for a 22-year-old and a 40-year-old. <R3>
Pez dispensers have a way of making you smile.
The Easter basket was always filled with jellybeans, a chocolate Easter bunny and marshmallow Peeps. Ah, can't you just taste the marshmallow sugar melting in your mouth? The most popular Peep is the yellow marshmallow chicks. But they aren't just yellow anymore. Peeps come in pink, lavender, blue and white. Surprisingly, each Peep chick only has 32 calories and 0 grams of fat.
Peeps have a cult following. Sugar has a way of doing that to you! There are over 200 unofficial Web sites devoted to Peeps. The official Web site, www.marshmallowpeeps.com, has an archive of recipes for your Peeps. I'm interested in trying the Peepsicles: a bunny is dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut or chopped nuts and then frozen.
Sunday Best
There are several events in your life that a new outfit is required: a wedding, prom, first day of school. However, the most important day I feel compelled to dress to impress is at Easter. The unspoken rule was to have a new dress, hat, gloves and shoes. At present, I am lucky to get a new dress for the day.
Until I was in my mid-teens, we always wore our Sunday Best when we attended church. My father would wear a suit and a tie. Late Saturday afternoon, we made sure our shoes were polished and my mother made sure our clothes were ironed.
<L4>I am a hat person, so wearing a bonnet absolutely thrills me. Unfortunately, the last time I donned a bonnet was at about age 10. As I was searching the Internet for clues as to why the Easter bonnet tradition had fallen by the wayside, I came across a column by Carol Barbieri who writes for the Atlantic Highlands Herald.
Carol professed her love of Easter bonnets and wearing her Sunday Best. She wondered when the shift came from looking your best at church to throwing on a pair of jeans. In her column, she tells of a Sunday drive when she and her husband passed a Baptist church, where she noted a significant difference in the parishioners' appearance. The women wore beautiful flower-laden hats and were dressed from top to bottom. She recalled saying to herself, "It's not even Easter."
Carol's conclusion was that these women made an effort to come to church. In her mind, they were silently saying, "I respect this day."
I believe that there are many reasons that have contributed to why the majority of us don't wear our Sunday Best anymore. Americans like to be comfortable and what better way to be comfortable then to throw on a pair of jeans and sweat shirt. Of course, there are the increasing demands of life we have placed on ourselves and fashion does change.
But I have to ask myself, why can't I take 10 minutes before bed on a Saturday night and iron something nice to wear? <R5>
There is absolutely no reason why I can't make that happen this Easter. I'll be breaking out the ironing board Saturday afternoon and I may even polish my shoes. I am earnestly looking for a bonnet to wear. It most likely won't be your typical bonnet, but it will be a hat nonetheless.
Whether you celebrate Easter in a religious context, with a chocolate bunny or as a harbinger of what is on the horizon [spring/summer] enjoy the day. Happy Spring!
