Two things about me. First, I grew up in a very traditional Christian family. Secondly, my parents always provided fun and magic (for lack of a better word) to us, no matter what.
Several years, during Dad’s active-duty Air Force gigs, we moved or traveled a lot. Often, these trips or adventures coincided with religious holidays.
We went to church every Sunday (and sometimes on Wednesdays; we siblings always attended evening services or youth groups), no matter where we lived. (And, every summer, we attended up to three weeks of Vacation Bible School, but that’s for another blog post….)
The churches we attended were always Protestant, but the denominations occasionally changed – from ELCA (Lutheran), to Methodist, to Baptist, to Evangelical. Sometimes, we attended services at multiple churches, of multiple backgrounds, during a single week. And – sometimes – my family provided the musical portion of the service (singing, piano, and/or other instruments).
Tonight, the night before Easter, I remember how we always had treats on Easter morning. Mom was the architect of this, but Dad was always supportive.
In other words, the Easter Bunny ALWAYS found out where we were and made sure to leave treats for us.
Consistency is important for kids. It’s important for them to know that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny (or whatever other mythical, yet amazing and strong characters) know how to find them, no matter where they are. Huge kudos and props to my parents for recognizing this!
A couple examples of consistency on our Easter mornings, thanks to the Easter Bunny (or, my parents? Can anyone prove the complete truth?):
- The year we were on Jekyll Island, Georgia. We attended a sunrise church service on the beach. Those in charge of the services placed three crosses in the sand exactly where they would be lit up by the rising sun. That year, the Easter Bunny brought our gifts in Frisbees. Amazingly enough, this allowed us to all throw the Frisbees on the beach that afternoon.
- The year we were in Virginia Beach, VA. Our rental cottage was just a few houses from the beach, where we found baby sharks and baby stingrays. Church was traditional, but the Easter Beagle “sniffed us out, because he knew where to find us” and left us treats while we were gone.
- The year we were in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. That year, the Easter Badger found us! It was awesome.
Another (random) note….. Among other yummy treats and items, the Easter Bunny (or whatever animal appropriate to the terrain) always left my sisters and me a new pair of nylons, to wear to church with our Sunday-best dresses.
Cheers to my parents, for always making us feel comfortable and safe, no matter where we were.
Connector Beth 