Making Easter Memories

Holidays in a divorced family are stressful.  Kids are shuffled back and forth, with both parents wanting their piece of the "fun."  Growing up, my sister and I split holidays between my Mom in Michigan and my Dad in California.  Still, most of my holiday memories involve my Mom and her Mom, Grandma Helen.  These two women made holidays special and taught me how to do the same.  Christmas was Mom's, but Easter was Grandma's.

Grandma Helen is now suffering from dementia and is rather caustic, but there was a time when she was our matriarch.  It was the little things she did that I remember so fondly.  One of those sweet touches was her Easter Egg tree.  She decorated colored plastic eggs with fancy ribbons and shiny beads...this was way before glue guns and craft stores.  The eggs hung on a small tree and it was magical.

Easter meals were productions with a few traditional dishes.  The centerpiece was the baked ham with its delectable raisin sauce.  Grandma also made tiny tea sandwiches with cucumber and colored cream cheese spread in layers between crustless wonder bread.  A staple was Grandma Helen's butter curls.  I'm lucky if I can get the butter on a plate, much less curl it.  Only now that I have a family of my own and am responsible for our holiday meals can I truly appreciate Grandma Helen's efforts -- the cost, the preparation, the timing and the care.

And my Mom was no slouch on Easter either.  As the Easter Bunny's proxy, she made the most spectacular baskets, ever.  She taught me the value of good dark chocolate, versus the cheap crap you can buy at the local drugstore.  The prized stuffed bunny or chick was carefully selected for its quality, softness and appearance.  Even when I moved out, Mom still sent me wonderful Easter baskets, stopping only when she had grandchildren.  They now benefit from Grandma Dee's Easter Bunny skills.  Usually she'll include a little something for me too.

In my house, Easter is 3rd in line behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, but we do have a few annual traditions.  Easter Brunch at The Key Bridge Marriott is central to our celebration.  Upon hearing that they might not have it this year, my family went into a panic.  Thankfully, the hotel came to their senses and we have reservations.  Easter baskets are the other key essential, if only so that I can sneak some chocolate for myself.  I do my best to live up to my Mom's standards, surely falling a little short.  It is especially hard since my youngest doesn't even like chocolate.

I hate to admit it, I've gotten a little lazy with Easter.  Brunch and baskets are nonnegotiable, but all the outliers -- egg dying, egg hunts, decorating the house --have gone down the bunny trail as the kids have gotten older.  Grandma Helen would be so disappointed.  So in her honor, I'm heading to the craft store tomorrow to get all the makings for my own Easter egg tree.