Remembering Easters Past

This photo shows the children holding their potted geraniums, which they received from church. Back row, left to right: the author's sister-in-law, Jo Ann; her brother, Duane; and her husband, Wes. Middle row: the author’s nephew, Bradley; her son, Rodney, and her niece, Terri. Front row: the author's daughter, Janet; and her nephew, Randy.

Eggs for the children to color were boiled ahead of time. Cups were filled with water. Then a tablespoon of vinegar and a color tablet -- yellow, blue, red, purple or green -- was added to each container, and the children eagerly worked to color the eggs. Grandmother Bolterman, who lived several blocks away, joined the children for the decorating party. She spoke of how during her growing-up years, there were no store-bought coloring kits, but the boiled eggs were colored a rosy brown by dipping them in water in which onion skins had been boiled.

Another Easter ritual was making sugar cookies for decorating. Mother prepared the dough using Grandmother's recipe that had been handed down through the generations. After Mother had rolled out the dough, she let the children cut it into the shapes of bunnies, chickens and Easter eggs with her cookie cutters. After the cookies were baked, the children decorated them, under Mom's direction, with powdered-sugar frosting.

The night before Easter, the three youngest children were encouraged to retire early because the Easter bunny would be coming at daybreak to fill their baskets. Rodney, then a teenager, considered himself an adult; being past the bunny stage, he was allowed to stay up later. But before the younger children headed to bed, they insisted on leaving a carrot on the table as a treat for the Easter bunny.

When all was quiet and the children were settled in their beds, the adult "house bunnies" rushed to fill the children's baskets with candy and hide them. The green shredded plastic straw that was placed in the bottom of each basket was purchased new each year. Each child had placed a colored egg with his or her name on it in his or her basket. Dad did not forget to take a bite from the carrot left on the table as "proof" that the Easter bunny had enjoyed his treat.

When the baskets had been hidden, Mom and Dad retired promptly; they knew that the morning would start early with the children anxious to find their baskets of treats.

The next morning, before the clock struck 7 a.m., three busy youngsters were up and looking for their baskets -- under tables, behind doors, high and low. Soon all three baskets were found, and eager little hands explored the tasty contents: jelly beans, chocolate eggs and bunnies, marshmallow chicks and so on. All were sampled until Mother cautioned them that they needed to save candy for later as they needed to eat breakfast, and then get ready for Easter Sunday services.

After a simple breakfast of Easter eggs and fruit juice, the children excitedly dressed in their finest clothes: little Paul in his Sunday shirt and pants; Rodney in a white shirt, tie and dress pants; and the two girls in their fancy dresses. They even had special Easter bonnets to wear, trimmed in flowers and ribbons. Dad, too, would wear his finest suit, shirt and tie.

Mom reached into the closet for her hatbox that contained her favorite Easter bonnets. The hat of Mom's choice that day was a white straw hat in the popular pillbox style, trimmed with flowers and a green velvet ribbon.

Mother decided to wear last year's lovely blue suit along with a pair of short white gloves. Gloves were important accessories to ladies' outfits. They came in all sizes and colors -- short gloves, long gloves; some trimmed with embroidery or dainty buttons; made of cotton, rayon, silk or leather. Long gloves were proper with a sleeveless dress or formal attire. Short gloves were for more casual wear.

Upon our arrival at church, the children made their way downstairs to attend Sunday school. They would join the adults later, after church services. It was also customary that each child receive a potted geranium, provided by the church, to take home.

The family later would sit down to the traditional ham dinner with all the trimmings. Mom had popped the ham into the oven before leaving for church. The three grandparents -- Mom's mom and dad, and Dad's widowed mother -- were invited to join us. Of course, we enjoyed Grandmother's favorite sugar cookies for dessert.

Grandmother's Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 rounded teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening (or 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter or margarine)
2 eggs, beaten
3–4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a large bowl. Cut in shortening and mix like piecrust until blended. Add beaten eggs, milk and vanilla. If dough is sticky, add a little more flour. Divide into portions and roll out on floured surface to desired thickness. Bake cookies until lightly browned. This makes quite a few cookies, but they go fast.