Easter: Lets Ban Patent Leather

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter Sunday and as I sit here alone contemplating the days planned activities I’m saddened by those activities that are no longer on the schedule. I am as well thankful of those events I no longer have to partake in.

I am saddened that all the kids in my family have out grown the Easter Bunny and no longer expect he will pay his usual spring visit to them. With all my nieces and nephews I always took great joy in preparing a healthy, educational Easter basket for them. Not to much candy but with more books, crayons and learning items and always in a unique basket like a sand pail or a simple handbag. It was fun.

I am saddened and glad at the same time that Easter egg hunts are not slated for the day’s events. Sadden because it was always so much fun watching a child find something on their own and seeing the accomplishment in their smile. Glad however, because none of my relatives will this year show up with multi-colored finger tips that I will have to wonder about as they pass me the ham. Something about green fingers handing you your food that sort of steals your appetite.

I guess, now that I think about it, the one thing I am most thankful for this Easter is the fact I’m adult. As an adult I no longer have to endure the Easter outfit ordeal, you see as a child my mother always felt we had to have a new Easter outfit. When I look back at photographs of Easters gone by, it sends cold chills up my spine.

I can honestly say it has been more than thirty years since I had a dress on and in saying that I hope you can understand why Easter gave me reason to tremble. In those photos we were always dressed in the typical Easter outfits, you know; spring dresses, hats, gloves, and who could forget patent leather shoes. We are smiling as if all was right and it was Easter. What you do not see in those photos is what Mother Nature sometimes threw at us on Easter.

I can remember many an Easter of having to wear those spring outfits and it be thirty degrees outside. Though we could put on our winter coats, my outfit always seemed to include bobby socks and blue legs. The photos do not show us standing there shivering, teeth chattering, until we heard the click of the camera and ran back in. They do not show the snow boots we had to sometime wear in order to get those patent leather shoes to and from church shiny. I will say this though, Easter eggs are much easy to find on newly fallen snow.

It is funny how you look back and realize the fact that it was not the huge, furry, deranged looking rabbit that gave you a scare but rather the sight of patent leather shoes.


Technorati Tags: ,,,


Going UP