How do holiday traditions start? One of my dreams is to play a part in Easter, or Resurrection Day, becoming as big as Christmas in celebration. With having a dream like this, it’s helpful to reflect on how holidays come to be. They originate from some group of people, somewhere, simply – having fun. Or, having a culture. The Germans were over there decorating pine trees to celebrate the incarnation, and now everybody in Branson, Missouri does it too. How did this happen?
In part, when people have a tradition and it looks fun, other people want to start doing it.
This is one way I define hospitality – having something people want to join in on.
I would love to see Easter built up, and expanded in its trappings. If you feel the same way, the first place to start is your household, and what you can immediately oversee.
Make your family’s celebration of Eastertide as big as Christmas. Then, move through your town. Organize things so your town becomes known as the Easter town for the unique and special events that happen there on Easter.
Like the Germans with the pine trees, most or all holidays are like this. Thanksgiving was only celebrated in New England. Then, people liked the menu and the meaning and now it is not associated with only New England and is cemented in our whole culture.
I have given Easter a lot of thought and I think one thing working against its traditions is that it is on a different day every year. Homemakers have to be aware and on top of its occurrence.
But, a realization I have found helpful for Easter is to acknowledge the ways it is different than Christmas. Christmas starts one month before the day of and builds to it. One month before Easter is sometimes even still February and full winter, and putting out spring decoration feels off, even unpleasant. So unlike Christmas, I in some ways like to have Easter Day begin the Easter month or season. Whereas Christmas more or less concludes the Christmas month or so. This fits perfectly and makes more sense for Ascension Day as well. This method works in tune with nature and the blooming of new life. And, it helps with that Easter’s date moves and can sneak up on you.
Homemakers, think of all the things that could make a time of year special: food feasts, activity traditions, games, stories, clothing, decorations, etc., and create some good ones for your family for Eastertide.
“He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so. This is the beginning of the New Creation: a new chapter in cosmic history has opened.”
C.S. Lewis
