Growing up, Easter was always my favorite holiday. I loved the bright pastel colors, chocolate bunnies, and the excitement of spring on the horizon. Starting with Palm Sunday, my family would go to church together and have brunch at our favorite diner in my hometown. My cousins and I always had a blast making little crosses out of the palms we received as we waited for our food to arrive. Putting them up around my house brought excitement for Easter day to come.Â
On Good Friday my family gathers at my house to color easter eggs. I have looked forward to this day every year since I can remember. Dozens of egg cartons fill my dining room table, waiting to be decorated in an array of colors and patterns. Pizza is our dinner of choice on this special day in observance of eating no meat on Fridays during lent. We like to explore with fun toppings combinations and new pizza restaurants. When my cousins and I were young, my dad would sneak out during dinner and sprinkle my backyard with candy and little balls of fuzz, signifying that the Easter bunny had passed through. We were full of pure joy and excitement as we ran outside to collect everything the Easter bunny had left us. As our egg decoration began, our hands would be stained with each color of the rainbow. Each egg more beautiful than the last, the house became full of color and life. Now that my cousins and I are older, the traditions are passed down to the next generation of young children in my family. It feels like a full circle moment as I take on the role of scattering candy throughout my backyard for my little cousins to enjoy. Â
Easter morning my brother and I would run down the stairs to an easter egg hunt. All of the eggs we so beautifully painted on Friday were hidden in every corner of our house for us to find. Once each egg was located, we would sit down and open little baskets full of candy. My favorite part of Easter day was the new floral dress I could wear throughout the day. I always loved how the spring colors popped and how it would look as I twirled around. Next on my family’s agenda for the day was Easter mass. Everyone is always in a great mood and many beautiful songs echo throughout the church. Once mass ends, we head over to my grandma’s house where my whole family comes together to celebrate over a wonderful dinner and delicious desserts.Â
As I sit around my grandma’s table, surrounded by laughter and stories, I realize that Easter is much more than candy or colorful eggs. It is about family, traditions, and new beginnings that come from the renewal of spring. Even as the years pass, and traditional roles change, my fondness of Easter remains the same, rooted in memories I’ve made with the ones I love.