Going to Church today for Good Friday and then again on Sunday - having family and friends for dinner (15 including us) - hide the kids’ baskets in the house for them to find, hide the plastic eggs for an afternoon race to find those - pretty low key and religious too - remember that eggs are a sign of rebirth so Easter eggs are not pagan!

Something is seriously wrong. It’s Easter weekend, and my husband and I are planning to travel north a bit and go snowshoeing. It’s our first Easter without kids, and our first alone in 27 years, and we thought it would be fun to do something memorable. We were going to have a special brunch and then make a big dinner on Sunday, until realized it would be way too much food to consume in a day. Instead, we’ll have a special brunch on Saturday, then spend Sunday making a Greek style leg of lamb (Well, to be accurate, the Wisconsin interpretation of a Greek style leg of lamb) and assorted Greek style side dishes (again with a Wisconsin spin).

I miss Easter in Holland. We used to go to friends in The Hague where we would spend the day painting and dyeing eggs which we gathered fresh from the various bantams that wandered around their house, I found one sitting on the window sill outside the upstairs bathroom! Then we would hide the eggs all over the garden in anticipation of all the children who would come for Easter lunch. Easter Monday in Holland is also celebrated with a big bonfire, I really dont know why, but it was always fun. One of our Dutch friends would spend days every year copying for special friends, a Fabrege egg, which would take days to make and then saved forever. I also miss Greek Easter celebrations as we have a house on an island in Greece, going to the village church at midnight when the priest would come out with a lit candle and pass it to the villagers, one by one, and then they would walk through the village to the next church. We would then go to the local taverna and eat avogalemino soup. Next day the whole island smells of roast lamb, turned on a spit, and we would start the day by crashing the red dyed eggs at breakfast. So, here we are in Pittsburgh, missing our two daughters who now live in London, and the joys of Welsh Spring Lamb and the forecast is 3 to 4 inches of snow! but, we will make a wonderful Easter dinner with friends and remember Easters past.

For me, it’s any excuse to have a family reunion! We’re all meeting at our mother’s house in the afternoon, each of us bearing food to share. My two grown children will be here Saturday night, so they won’t miss their Sunday morning Easter baskets. They might be adults now, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still their mommy, and mommies do as they please, and it pleases me to still create an individual Easter basket for each of them, just as I’ve done every year of their lives. And with the same baskets, too. (Pre-made Easter baskets (and Christmas stockings, for that matter) are for lazy mommies.) I do love a holiday!!!! And I do love creating and keeping traditions for my “children.”

Study A Course In Miracles, eat a chocolate bunny, ski and finish with a Lamb dinner! Perfect Easter in Central Oregon.

Thanks Barbara for reminding me about the Ukranian eggs. My mother puts them out every year and I love to study the designs. They have been a staple of our decorations for as long as I can remember.

I’ll be having brunch at a restaurant with my Dad and his wife and her ENTIRE family. yay.

First church, where I can finally say “alleluia” again. I will mean it because Lenten sacrifices are done with and I don’t have to think about thorny crowns, pain, and suffering anymore.

White sandals for my darling girl. The one time I can force my darling boy in pink. Same dress as every year with me and a new Guyaberra for DH.

Feasting with friends and an egg hunt for the kids. We reuse our plastic eggs every year filled with coins so as to not rot the kids’ teeth or clog the landfills.

An assumption that everyone celebrates Easter. hmmmmm……how about what are you doing on Sunday? reading the paper, going for a walk, packing for a trip to explore the Oregon/Washington coast for a couple of weeks if we can afford the gas.

Ah, your sharing and the mere memories of years passed with a home-full of children, lull me into deep relaxation for this weekend. Spring is finally coming, and the promise of new seasons may convince us all to have hope and rest a while with those we love, or enjoy the mementos of past years that fill our happy hearts. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons will swell the throats of the new Daffodils, and perk up the little birds who are now joining the Mourning Doves in their daily calls. Having “switched” my rooms around again, to take advantage of the views I’ve created, I’m looking forward to being present with nature - silence after many years of fabulous din is now greatly appreciated.

I love reading the responses to this question…..Easter has so much meaning, but in such diverse vehicles. My work is to provide as many people with as great an Easter experience as I possibly can. I work at a rather large theme park in Orlando, where people journey from all over the world to celebrate many things many ways. Sometimes I can keep my perspective, for I really do love the challenge of trying to create wonderful experiences. When the place is as busy as it can get at this time of year, the ideal job becomes an unbelievable burden of numbers! Luckily, I have just had a visit from some dear friends who got to experience some magic at my park - to the point of joyous tears - and that has inspired me to do my best on Easter morning when I “hit the decks running” at 4 a.m. to start preparing my portion of brunch.

When I went to Barnard you could always tell the tony from the suburbanites - they wore suede jackets for all of the 2 weeks of spring & went to the Caribbean for spring break. Still haven’t made it. But I live in S. California & we have a boat, so it makes up for it. As a church musician and singer, I have been busy with the program of music for holy week at Hollywood Lutheran church, directed by my friend Eldon Turner, a fine musician. We are singing Mozart - oh la! And my husband is the percussionist/techie. I am even playing some celtic music on the lap harp for Good Friday. Then we are having dinner with Eldon and friends at the historical Tam O’Shanter in Los Feliz - where it will be gemutlich & I can fantasize about the Highlands my forefathers came from. See my goal is your lives on a budget!