I know that Easter is passed but yesterday I was thinking on how much the holiday has changed since I was a child. Back then the holiday was less about the Easter bunny and candy and more about the celebration of the spirit of the day and of spring.Back in the 1950s, Easter was a clothiers dream. Every woman that could afford it wanted a new hat and coat for Easter. She also wanted her children to have a new Easter outfit. Woman and girls dreamed of a new Easter bonnet to wear on the big day.
When I was a young girl, Mom always took us to town the week before Easter. We would go to Eaton's (Sears competition, strictly Canadian) and what an experience that was for my sister and I. All of the Eaton's employees were dressed to the nines. They were required to create an image that would inspire the women shoppers to buy dresses, coats, hats, gloves, shoes and purses. The women employees wore flowered hats and white gloves.
Some Easters Mom and Dad would give my sister and I a new dress. These were always sewn by Mom and my brother got a new shirt, also sewn by Mom. Sometimes we got a new pair of shoes - either black or white patten leather that we could see our faces in and, if we were lucky, a new pair of thigh high white stockings that was held up by something similar to a woman's girdle, except Mom always made these out of heavy one inch elastic and then sewed garter clips on them so we could attach them to our stockings to hold them up.
The Easter bunny did come. Mom had once made a round aluminum tray and had etched it with beautiful flowers. She would put it out on the Saturday night before Easter and lay Easter grass over it. This is where the Easter bunny left our treats. We usually got one small hollow chocolate bunny and one hollow chocolate egg with our names written on it. Around these would be a layer of jelly beans. Even back then Mom loved Easter and made sure it was a time of celebration. We children felt truly blessed at Easter because that was the time of year we got candy - even more than we got at Christmas.
What lovely memories my parents gave me of Easter services at church and then going to Grandma's for Easter dinner. These wonderful memories will be with me always and for that I'm most thankful. It was a different time - a slower pace to life and less commercialized. Our celebration included good food, love of family and the celebration of the resurrection.
Thank you for stopping by. I do hope you will take a few minutes to share your memories of Easter when you were a child. ~Blessings, Mary~
My grandmother would take me up to the local feed store and we would stand and stare at the feed sacks and she would let me pick out the sacks that I wanted for a new Easter dress.... She would always make it so pretty that no one would ever dream it was a feed sack...... what wonderful memories I have of her...... I have some quilt scraps that I need to take pictures of ,,,,,,,,, those feed sacks are being made into quilts......... I look at them and smile.........
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories.... I love reading them...
hugs to you girlfriend...
I always loved going to my grandmas for Easter dinner, she was such a wonderful cook. After dinner, we would all go outside and have an Easter egg hunt. I miss those family times. Thanks for sharing your memories my friend, I love you.
ReplyDeleteI remember the fun of new Easter outfits also...my fathers boss had a daughter just older than I, and each spring she would give me all her hand me down clothes from the prior year (she had outgrown)...I would always pick out my favorite...and save it for Easter....then we would get a new hat...our new sunday shoes for the summer...and mom usually made us a slip that we starched..to make it full...
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the Cat's meow!!!
Thanks for the memory...
Mimi
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteNice visiting here,your posts are
so colorful,they help make my day.
Have a great day,God bless.
Oh Mary you brought back so many memories....mine were a lot like yours. We always had good Friday service too. You can't hardly find a good Friday service today. Then Denise talked about feed sack dresses. WOW what memories. My grandmother owned a big General store. We had live Chicken in the basement and sold everything from soups to bolts in the store. Then there was the glass cutting up stairs. Thanks for all the memories. Kids today don't know what their missing.
ReplyDeleteGood Afternoon Mary,
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late in visiting today. I forgot to buy me some coffee yesterday and I didn't have any this morning and I started getting one of my headaches and went back to bed after I took the girls to School this morning. I just got back from the Dollar General Store and am now making me some coffee. Would you care to join me for a cup while we sit and visit? I enjoyed reading about your Easter's from days gone by. I do remember when me and my Sister were smaller, my Mom would make our Easter dresses. Sometimes we would even have a new little purse or some gloves to go with it. We always had an Easter Basket waiting for us on Easter morning and then after Church and after our meal, we would hunt Easter eggs. Sometimes if the weather was bad on the outside, we had to hunt them on in the inside of their house. It was always just the 4 of us as we didn't have a big family and my Parent's Families lived off. But we always had a good time. My Mom did make a few of our girls Easter dresses when they were smaller, but then we started buying them one. It's been a couple of years now since we have bought them one and even the Easter Baskets and dyed eggs because they have outgrown all of that now. But they are old enough now to know the true meaning of Easter. Things are so commercialized these days about all the Holidays. It would be so nice if kids these days could actually experience some of those days from the past. Maybe they wouldn't expect so much and would understand the real meaning of a Holiday. "THANK YOU" so much for the Birthday Card you had for me on your sidebar. I truly appreciate it very much and for you thinking of me. I do love the card you sent me in the mail as well. You are a great person and I truly value our friendship. Take care my friend and have a great day. May God Bless You and Yours.
Love & Hugs,
Karen H.
I remember Easter quite the same as you...the new Easter Outfit, the coloring of the eggs and Egg hunts...and Sunrise Services. Traditionally!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat surprises me since we've moved here in Texas that there are quite a FEW younger girls and boys all spiffied up on Easter. And being in the "Bible Belt" of the States, it is a great thing to see. Out West is was more like you said, the candy and the Easter Bunny.
I love your memories!
ReplyDeleteI loved the memories of your trips to the store.
Times were different.
In our home we got new hand me down outfits--but the easter bunny was a no, no.
It was all about the Resurrection.
It was still a beautiful day even without the candy.
But I did like watching the cartoons that came on T.V. each year.
Isn't it amazing how we had more time back then than now and we have all the many gadgets to help us save time. Or Do they? Peace
ReplyDeleteI remember my sister and I would have matching dresses, coats hats, gloves, oh we were so cute!! and we were 4 years apart. Loved your stories:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Viatamin D suggestion. I drink a glass of milk everyday, But the extra will probably make a different. Thanks for the hint. Have a wonderful week..
ReplyDeleteOh, this was so fun to read, Mary!
ReplyDeleteIt was a rainy Easter here in Oregon but still I was disapointed to see so few women wearing Easter type dresses or skirts. Some little girls were (including mine!) but very many women. In fact, lots were wearing black...sigh.
I know God looks at our heart and not what we wear, but I missed more Easter traditions this year!
I remember the new dress for Easter, complete with new shoes, hat and gloves.
ReplyDeleteI also remember the colored chicks and bunnies so many of the stores sold at Easter time. One year I got a pink chick and my brother a blue one. I remember too, my disappointment when the dye finally washed off of it. All of a sudden it was just another chicken....lol
Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed reading your Easter memories. Your mom was a special lady to create those memories for you. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Mary...this posting brought memories flooding back for me. Oh, yes...in the 50's, EVERYONE looked forward to new Easter "frocks"....me inclued. My mother always made us new dresses, we got new shoes, gloves, hats....and a very little Easter candy. Our biggest highlight of Easter was going to the SUNRISE services to watch the re=enactment of the Jesus on the cross and rising on the 3rd day. I still remember those "plays" so well and they were always done outdoors. Then, when my children came along in the 1960's, we did the same....son and daughter both always had new Easter clothes and we were in church every Easter Sunday. Now, the grandchildren are the same....some traditions just never change...
ReplyDeleteI always loved the new dresses my mother would make for us girls or would buy for us at Easter time. I think it is sad now how hardly anyone dresses up. Even the people on our worship team were not dressed up, it seems like at least for that they would wear something bright and cheerful! Ohe well, what matters is they are praising the Lord.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Sharon