Chocolate Easter eggs and cards have now been joined by Easter trees, decorations for the house and table and even crackers. It's all very pretty in pastel colours, and makes a family gathering more spectacular.
Easter trees originated in Germany and Sweden. In Sweden, the Easter tree, or 'påsk ris' is a handful of twigs and sticks (usually birch)in a vase with coloured feathers attached to the ends. Some people hang eggs. Whereas in Germany, the trees are outdoors, and decorated with hundreds of brightly coloured eggs.
My Easter tree is yellow (I would have preferred white, but these have only been in the shops this year) and I have some gorgeous glass birds and cute woolly sheep decorations.
I have been steadily adding to my arsenal of Easter decorations, thanks to sites like Culture Vulture and Museum Selections.
I decorate the Easter table with a special runner bought on Etsy; Easter napkins; a wreath; bright tulips and daffodils and my Easter tree. This year I bought a folk art "Easter" sign (Mr Mutton was rolling his eyes as this arrived), and the new staple of Easter crackers. They're not as much fun as Christmas crackers - last year they all contained a single painted egg - you can see them on my Easter tree - but it makes the Easter lunch feel more like a celebration.
Easter Fare
In the UK it's traditional to have spring lamb for Easter lunch, although I'll be serving roast beef because it's easier to buy a larger joint of beef for six or more people. I bought my mum a Simnel cake (Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Lakeland have them) which is an Easter essential. Simnel cake has been eaten since medieval times as both a rich, sweet treat and a symbolic ritual. The fruit cake is topped with eleven marzipan balls to represent the eleven apostles of Christ, minus Judas.Chocolate eggs are synonymous with Easter. The first chocolate Easter eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th Century with France and Germany taking the lead in this new artistic confectionery. Eggs, in general, were a traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth, in Christianity, for the celebration of Eastertide. Easter eggs symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus, from which Jesus resurrected.
I have a giant Lindor egg which my mum kindly bought me. I'll be hoping to make the sound of horses' hooves by tapping the two halves of the shell together. I do it every year! (Visit me on Instagram on Easter Sunday and I'll show you).
Other jolly japes
Many schools and clubs will have an Easter egg hunt, where children search for eggs hidden in gardens.
The tradition of decorating an Easter bonnet seems to be dying out, although you can still buy kits for children at Hobbycraft.
In the north of England they like to indulge in a bit of "egg tapping" or "egg jarping", where hard boiled eggs are distributed and each player hits the other player's egg with their own. The winner is the holder of the last intact egg. The annual egg jarping world championship is held every year over Easter in Peterlee Cricket Club.
Easter in Greece
I'm very tempted by the idea of a few days' holiday in Greece for Easter - maybe next year. The Greek Orthodox Church takes Easter very seriously and the islands and mainland have many wonderful traditions. Spring is a great time to visit Greece with flowers and blossom at their best and mild temperatures. Check out my Pinterest Easter board, which includes the best Greek islands to visit at Easter as well as more shopping and decoration ideas.
Easter Shopping
Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday
Last week's readers' favourite was Penny at Frugal Fashion Shopper and her post in praise of wearing colourful clothes. If you haven't discovered Penny, you're in for a treat - she writes (and vlogs) about fashion, beauty and her fitness program with humour and wisdom. And the wonderful finds she makes at charity shops! Penny is an inspiring example of how ageless today's older women truly are. Here's Penny on her way to Pilates.
Sharing this post with: #WeekendBlogHop at Claire Justine, #ChicAndStylish at Mummabstylish, #ShareAllLinkUp at Not Dressed as Lamb, Nicole at High Latitude Style, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings
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Your eastern sounds very good to me. We have my parents in law for dinner and the second your bank biliary I suppose we are having brunch with friends! Have a good day Gail
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