Hoppy giveaway brought to us
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I love Easter.
For one, the Semana Santa party-ers got the right idea, 'cause they skip out of town as of Wednesday/Thursday - heading to the BEACH - and the culmination is on Friday, when Jesus announced, "It is finished!" and they wind down on Sunday to return home and back to work. So, they're already celebrating. *jealous* When we lived in Sonora (Mexico!), we drove two hours to an isolated fishing village on the Gulfo de California. Electricity wasn't even missed as we set up camps all along the beach, which was suddenly jamb-packed with people from the cities. We ate fresh fish cooked in those deep fryers (OMG so good!!) and begged boat rides off the residents. There was a mud pit full of 4-wheelers, tons of soda for sale, carted out in coolers with ice (water not-so-much). Such a huge campout!
My sister's heading to a waterfall, being too far from any beaches... she can't believe my kids are in school this week. Me, neither!!
I grew up attending a Sunrise Service on Sunday, however, since traditional churches in the USA focus on Sunday... "He is risen", "He is risen, indeed!" I remember being woken up before dawn (painful!) on that special Sunday, dressing in my new adorable outfit of pink or purple complete with new hat and gloves and joining the congregation out on the school field on icy cold bleachers to catch the sunrise and listen to the Pastor (or rather not, unfortunately. I was just trying to sit upright 'cause the grass was a long way down!) And then walking over to the church for community breakfast. Yum! Scrambled eggs, of course, and pancakes - tons of 'em!!
Naturally there was an Easter Egg Hunt #1 up at the grandparents in the afternoon complete with a baked ham. (Ham?!) Every year I rec'd a new plush bunny resulting in a frightful collection over the years. Since this event was primarily about real eggs, which we had decorated over the week... we also had an Easter Egg Hunt #2 at home involving the chocolate variety!! :-D Gotta have all that chocolate!! I would save my stash, as a kid, 'til Halloween (when I could replenish it) making my parents jealous with sudden splurges of Cadbury cream eggs, my favorite.Now we give this experience to our kids... hiding chocolate in the living room for them to find and then driving out to my parent's house, so they can hunt eggs we decorate on Friday or Saturday. We even make them dress up some. We don't do the sunrise service, however, or party at the beach. *sigh*
I do attempt my funky version of the Passover. 'Cause Jesus ate Passover and it has the greatest, richest history of all the celebrations dating back to the children of Israel fleeing Egypt in Genesis. Just the idea of having a meal where every food means something is bad to the bone!! There's salt water for tears, bitter herbs for slavery, a bone for the sacrificial lamb (or chicken!), eggs for new beginnings... I love it. I get confused every year and some years we're so hungry by the time I get it on the table, we skip the "what's this cracker for?" bits, defeating the purpose, but I still love it. I'll blog about if I pull it together this year.
Of all the holidays, this one feels the most serious to me. Sometimes it's easier to focus on the cute bunnies and decorated eggs... but I always have moments where I pause and think about how Jesus felt this day back then. What a horrible week he experienced. When the thoughts hit me, cualquier moment, I go with it. Rather than shove it away, I *pause* or tear up or just whisper "thank you". 'Cause sometimes celebrating feels wrong, but there isn't really a better alternative, either. It's not like we should mope or get depressed, you know? But what a mulit-layered holiday. Which is why I love Easter.
(Pictures courtesy of Pinterest!)
For this giveaway, you totally know I want your thoughts on Easter!!!
Do you have great Easter memories?
Which traditions do you like best
or want to keep up?
or want to keep up?
Or not?!
For this International Giveaway, there is a unique prize:
* new Markings lined Journal to record your memories so you have more to share!! It has a magnetic closure & vine-y script embossing - and it's red.
* a peacock feather from the next door neighbor's peacock. I did not harm any birds to get it for you, they shed their feathers every fall for us lowly humans. This one's the right size to use as a bookmark!
* Pro+ Bic easy-rollin' black pen. The right pen is essential for inspiration!!
* Easter chocolate! (Amount of chocolate depends on shipping. The chocolate pictured may not survive 'til the end of the giveaway. Negotiations to commence with winner!!)
To enter to win, you must follow Colorimetry - Thx!!!! - must be at least 13 (or know someone who is). See all my rules on the About Me Page. I will choose the winner randomly sometime after the giveaway ends. Winner will have 48 hours (or so) to get back to me after I get around to contacting them.
I look forward to your answer to my awesome question, as always, and I hope to publish some of them (of course!) If you comment, you are consenting to being published unless you say otherwise!
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