The three b's

  Bunnies, baskets and buns. The three b's of Easter. I have two of the three with me this morning. A chocolate bunny my wife purchased for me, it's Russel Stover, top shelf stuff. The baskets I have were also made by my wife, crocheted. If you know anyone that crochets or knits you understand, everything can and will be crocheted or knitted eventually. What I don't have are buns. Not that kind of bun, I'm thinking about a hot cross bun. It is something I had almost forgotten about entirely. My granddaughter works part time at a bakery while she is attending radiology school. My son tells me Easter is the busiest day of the year for that bakery and I asked if they were selling hot cross buns. Funny how something like that can just pop into your head. I don't have any particular memory of eating hot cross buns, my mother making them or anything like that. I had a vague memory of some nursery rhyme about them, that was all. 

  Now hot cross buns were on my mind and so to the internet I went. Inquiring minds want to know. And I admit it is far easier than a trip to the library and searching that card catalogue. There were many subjects I left unexplored because I was too lazy to go to the library. But anyway, I googled hot cross buns and became informed about them. A spiced bun eaten on Good Friday it was a staple in many countries for that occasion. It held meaning too, the cross is obvious enough, the spices remind us of the spices used to embalm Jesus and the orange peel the bitterness of his time on the cross. I confess I don't recall every seeing a hot cross bun with orange icing, just the sugar kind. I wasn't aware of the significance of those ingredients. Then I went to check out the nursery rhyme. Hot Cross Buns, one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns. Buy one for your daughter, buy one for your son, one a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross buns. 

  I'm not sure why this vague memory of hot cross buns grabbed my attention. Perhaps it is just an old memory, something comforting to think about. It does take me back to the day. As a child I do remember my mom teaching me how to draw a bunny rabbit and dying eggs together. I recall going to church and we all got to wear our new church clothes on Easter Sunday. There was Easter dinner, a ham was the usual fare. Never could figure out what a pig had to do with Easter. But then there were rabbits delivering eggs, jelly beans and chocolate in a basket so it was best not to question some things. The Easter ham was usually covered with pineapple rings, a cherry in the center and those crazy little clove things. Yes, I bit into one of those once and tasted the bitterness! 

  I admit I don't get out much, I'm not involved in many social circles, and I haven't heard any mention of hot cross buns. I was wondering if that was still a thing in American culture. You don't hear Peters' name a lot anymore, now he's just, the rabbit. Is Peter Cottontail still hopping down the bunny trail, hippity, hoppity?  Well it has been 65 years since Roy Rogers released that song so I expect Peter is tired by now. Not having any very young children around in quite some time I'm not up on whatever nursery rhymes are current. I'm aware that some have been phased out entirely so as not to trigger the children, give them nightmares or ptsd. I was just wondering though, does anyone else remember hot cross buns? 

 Happy Easter to all that celebrate and I wish you all happy memories of the day.