In yesterdays posting I spoke of keeping traditions. I got to thinking about those traditions and just why they were. The number one tradition was getting a new set of clothes to go to church with. Yes, back when I was young we got dressed for Church. That was the command from Mother, get dressed for Church. Being properly attired for church was a prerequisite to salvation ! You weren't going to church unless you were dressed in an appropriate fashion, and no church meant no hope for you !
Now we didn't get new clothes very often. No where near the amount of clothing we buy today. New clothes for school and Easter. Yeah, we got a few for Christmas or on our birthdays but we didn't like it much. Seems like clothes just weren't as important to us kids as the kids of today. We had two kinds of clothes, good ones and play ones. Those iron on patches for jeans played an important role. But on Easter Sunday you dressed up in your new finery and proudly went off to church. The men in three piece suits and the ladies in dresses. The ladies all wore white gloves and Easter bonnetts. Following the service most stood about on the lawn getting their pictures taken. It seemed to me even the Reverend had on a new robe ! It was Easter and all is new again. The symbolism was lost on us children but became apparent over time.
Naturally the Easter bunny came to our house every year. Our baskets would be full of wonderful candy and dyed eggs. We usually got a rather large chocolate rabbit. That was my favorite. Solid or hollow didn't matter but I just loved those bunnies. I think the candy was a sort of consolation prize for having to get all dressed up later in the day. Why Mom would barely let you move in those new clothes. Sit up straight, you are wrinkling your clothes, no candy in your new clothes, no running in your new clothes, be careful, don't spill anything on your new clothes. It just went on and on. After that, I needed a candy fix ! Believe me, I changed clothes as soon as I could. Sometimes an Aunt or somebody would come to Easter dinner and you had to stay dressed. Oh man. Well at least it was going to be ham, spaghetti would have been a disaster.
I didn't care for baked beans back then so I avoided that hazard. I do recall biting into one of those cloves Mom would stick in that ham. Awful ! Just awful ! The pineapple was tolerable but don't ever bite a clove !
New clothes and a lot of candy. When I was a child that it what Easter was. Oh, I was well aware of Jesus being resurrected. I knew the story well and in my own childhood way was glad for it. I think on some level I thought that must be what heaven would be like. New clothes and lots of candy. Angels were always wearing bright white robes and they were never dirty. Must be in heaven you can play in your good clothes and they will not get dirty at all. Surely Jesus would let you play all you wanted without having to change. And I'm betting you could have candy for supper if that is what you wanted.
Those traditions make for comforting memories.
Now we didn't get new clothes very often. No where near the amount of clothing we buy today. New clothes for school and Easter. Yeah, we got a few for Christmas or on our birthdays but we didn't like it much. Seems like clothes just weren't as important to us kids as the kids of today. We had two kinds of clothes, good ones and play ones. Those iron on patches for jeans played an important role. But on Easter Sunday you dressed up in your new finery and proudly went off to church. The men in three piece suits and the ladies in dresses. The ladies all wore white gloves and Easter bonnetts. Following the service most stood about on the lawn getting their pictures taken. It seemed to me even the Reverend had on a new robe ! It was Easter and all is new again. The symbolism was lost on us children but became apparent over time.
Naturally the Easter bunny came to our house every year. Our baskets would be full of wonderful candy and dyed eggs. We usually got a rather large chocolate rabbit. That was my favorite. Solid or hollow didn't matter but I just loved those bunnies. I think the candy was a sort of consolation prize for having to get all dressed up later in the day. Why Mom would barely let you move in those new clothes. Sit up straight, you are wrinkling your clothes, no candy in your new clothes, no running in your new clothes, be careful, don't spill anything on your new clothes. It just went on and on. After that, I needed a candy fix ! Believe me, I changed clothes as soon as I could. Sometimes an Aunt or somebody would come to Easter dinner and you had to stay dressed. Oh man. Well at least it was going to be ham, spaghetti would have been a disaster.
I didn't care for baked beans back then so I avoided that hazard. I do recall biting into one of those cloves Mom would stick in that ham. Awful ! Just awful ! The pineapple was tolerable but don't ever bite a clove !
New clothes and a lot of candy. When I was a child that it what Easter was. Oh, I was well aware of Jesus being resurrected. I knew the story well and in my own childhood way was glad for it. I think on some level I thought that must be what heaven would be like. New clothes and lots of candy. Angels were always wearing bright white robes and they were never dirty. Must be in heaven you can play in your good clothes and they will not get dirty at all. Surely Jesus would let you play all you wanted without having to change. And I'm betting you could have candy for supper if that is what you wanted.
Those traditions make for comforting memories.
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| My sister Millie and I Easter 1961 |
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