The spring is getting closer and Easter time is on our minds again! We will be decorating our homes, painting eggs, making chocolate cookies, telling our children about Easter Bunny, sending cards to friends, planning escape routes and strategies... When I was little, the fun part about Easter was decorating the eggs. This is an old custom that is still practiced in the Czech Republic. The water from boiled yellow and red onion peels worked great to color the eggs in different shades of yellow, orange, brown, or red. When I was in a creative mood, I experimented with wax or watercolors. Then on Easter Monday, I used to lock myself in my room in the morning, hoping that I would avoid being whipped (and thus humiliated) by countless boys from our neighborhood. It never worked. The next day, everybody would bring a boiled egg or two to school for a snack because every fridge in every household was overflowing with boiled eggs! Now that I'm older, I no longer dread the whipping (I sometimes whip back!) and I think of Easter as a time to spend with family and friends. What does Easter mean to you and how do you celebrate it? What Easter customs are practiced in your country and in your home? Tell us about them and let's all get in the mood for spring! Dana
