Easter special for many reasons

By Carol Weimer
Canastota Corner

Sunday is Easter, a time of tradition and customs. Much like the Christmas season, the stores have become busy with people shopping for gifts

The stores are decorated with chicks, bunnies, and other characters, such as popular basketball, football, NASCAR and hockey stars. I’m speaking of the men in your family.

Have you noticed some of the things they’re selling for Easter baskets? Take a look!

There expensive toys such as smartphones, iPods, DVDs, video games and appliances I don’t even recognize. But they are there and the Easter Bunny‘s expected to deliver them. Imagine!

And, the selections that you are being offered in candy. If your tongue doesn’t hang out and your mouth doesn’t drool there must be a strong willpower vein in you.

There again, do you remember when there were only chickens, jelly beans and bunnies offered for your baskets? You colored your own eggs to be placed in the children’s baskets. Today, I ask you to take another look on the candy aisle. Every type animal, character and objects are offered encased in chocolate, marshmallow and nougat that the little ones will devour.

Some mothers, I’m told have to fix Easter baskets for their kids (sons mainly) who still expect an Easter basket at age 29 and beyond. They are still their mother’s child and expect their favorite treats that they had when they were just little small fries.

But this seems to be what Easter to some is all about. The pace quickens for some with the beginning of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. Depending on your heritage and the customs of your family or country this holy season has much meaning and tradition.

For many families the togetherness starts on Good Friday. If your family is close you move from house to house for Good Friday, Holy Saturday observance with meals and then on Easter Day its home to mom’s for the big celebration dinner.

The Easter worship service is truly what Easter is. When the choirs sing their beautiful anthems proclaiming “He Has Risen,” it gladens the heart and lifts the spirits inside you. Isn’t that what we need in these troubled times?
The members of the clergy take their places in the altar and read from the Bible the story of the Resurrection that we have heard each and every year.

Yet isn’t there always something new that your ears hear when it is told again?

While the Christmas story makes a warm feeling around your heart, the Easter story gives you such hope and renewed life.

When the service is over, the celebration begins with a huge dinner with all the family around. Isn’t it wonderful to have the fellowship of everyone home, catching up on the happenings in the family with each and every one? Don’t you love talking with the children? They have so many things that are so important to their lives to tell you. Little things.

Have a happy Easter.