thinking about easter: updating family traditions

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We're looking through egg-dyed glasses in my house lately -- anticipating the arrival of the large bunny over the weekend. But, as with any time you get married and have kids, you start merging traditions.



Let's call them 'updated' traditions.

The Egg Hunt
Every year for as long as I can remember, my extended family has hosted an Easter Egg Hunt. All of us would grab a bag, line up by age and take off to see who could collect the most eggs. You practically had to have a high school diploma to be given the option of hiding the eggs (rather than finding them). And although you may have felt a bit 'old' for the tradition, you wanted to make it special for the younger cousins running about. Well, my youngest cousin is now 13 and not so interested in egg hunting. My almost-two-year-old? Ecstatic about it. So we plan to hit up some of the local, larger egg hunts (perhaps the DBFA Egg Hunt in Patterson Park or Mary Sue Bunny Bonanzoo) this year rather than wrangling my teenage cousin into a hunt eggstravaganza.

Egg Dying Au Natural
Easter just so happens to fall during Earth Week this year, so I definitely am approaching it with an eco-stance. So we're going to dye our eggs au-natural rather than the typical kit dyes this year. I love this tutorial from What's Cooking America, that suggests dying eggs with blueberries, fruit juice and the like. Apparently red wine turns eggs purple... (just saying!). It's like science, cooking and art all combined into one messy (and toddleriffic) activity!

Breakfast for Dinner (the night before!)
My whole extended family will gather for lunch on Easter Sunday, but we'll miss some of the fun Easter breakfast foods. So Pat and I have decided to have brunch for dinner the night before dinner. What's on the menu? Homemade buttermilk blueberry waffles, crustless ham, zucchini and cheese quiche, and fruit salad. (The waffles are a HIT at our house. Check out the recipe from Williams Sonoma in a prior post). Of course, we'll have 'table' syrup and maple syrup. There is just a touch of contention in our house over which is better... What are we having for breakfast on Easter day if we're eating breakfast foods the night before? I'm thinking carrot apple muffins. Something light so we can enjoy the family lunch to it's fullest potential.

Bunny Desserts
When I was seven years old, I won a 4-H speaking competition demonstrating how to make a Bunny Cake. {{Yes, that may have been an overshare. Forgive me}} You know the bunny cake I'm talking about: two round cakes created into a bunny-shaped sheet cake complete with white frosting, coconut and licorice whiskers. Cupcakes are more my speed right now, so I'm planning on making these adorable bunny cupcakes from Busy Crafting or maybe these from Bakerella. I find cupcakes are an easier-to-manage toddler activity (both decorating and eating!).

The Easter Bonnet (er, anti-Easter bonnet)
C'mon. You know you had one. I had several. Each spring, my sister and I would get a new dress and hat for Easter Sunday. But can you really put your kid in the same white straw hat and ribbon your mother bought for you? We're replacing the hat with hair accessories this year. In keeping with the floral motif that seems to symbolize Easter, I love this flowered headband from Little Skye Children's Boutique.

What are some of your Easter traditions? Would love to hear them!