Frohe Ostern! ~ Easter is back!

I have to admit that I have felt very out of touch with Easter for quite a while. I guess after the Easter bunny stopped brining me chocolate bunnies, it kind of lost its meaning. And having not lived nearly family for 10 years, it's not a holiday that we would normally make it home for. But I have news - Easter is back!

There are two reasons. The first and most obvious, is Simon. While he would not have known the difference if we did nothing for Easter, I loved the idea of him having a basket, painting eggs, and running through the grass looking for eggs. We did a few Easter egg hunts this year, with friends and on our own on Easter Sunday, and Simon loved it! I had to keep hiding the eggs so that he could do it again and again. But the best part - he had no idea that all the stuff he was finding was candy! So we took it all back. He did accidentally unwrap one piece of chocolate - and he was amazed to find that you could eat what was inside. 

It was so much fun to celebrate with our own little guy. And it was a good excuse for him to have his first piece of chocolate! I know I remember the anticipation of looking for eggs and, more importantly, what was in my Easter basket. 

The second reason that Easter is back on my list is that it's really a big deal here! It's a 4-day weekend in Germany (like our Thanksgiving), and that alone is reason to celebrate! Like in the US, chocolate bunnies are abound. But unlike the US they don't do Easter baskets, but they do do the eggs. It's also common to get a small gift for Easter (which we never did in our family, but some did in the US). So really, it's the 4-day weekend that has me back on the Easter bandwagon.

Simon and Endrik on Easter

And what a great 4-day weekend it was! The weather wasn't very nice, but we spent a lot of time with friends here in Düsseldorf, including Easter dinner with Katrin, Oscar, Endrik and Emilie Victoria. Having grown up spending holidays with my large extended family, it really helped make the weekend feel more like a holiday. I guess it's kind of weird as you transition into adulthood and parenthood that you become in charge of holiday traditions. So much responsibility.

Looking forward to next Easter already!

*I was born on Easter Sunday, 1980. Did you know that my birthday won't be on Easter again until I'm 62? It's going to be a party, though!