Once upon a time there was a very little farmhouse. Around this farmhouse was a farm. On this farm were obedient milking cows, potatoes planted in the farmer's field, and the shrill laughter of the farmer's children playing outdoor games with a tin can. There were a dozen children and all 12 grew up in the very little farmhouse.
Wild berries grew near the farmhouse, in the brambles on the edge of the woods. These berries were picked by the 12 children. There were Pincherries and Chokecherries which their mother made into jelly. And which were very sour if one of these children had tasted one. At least several children probably once had (these berries DO look so tasty). And once they had, their mouth would have puckered with sourness and that would have been the last time they would have tried tasting them. But there were black raspberries too. And like most children who pick black raspberries, almost all of the juicy-sweet parcels probably went into their bellies, and not in their berry baskets. That's the way it is with most children picking sweet berries.
But unlike most children, these 12 children would not get Easter baskets Easter morning. They would not.
While these 12 children may have wanted Easter baskets like other children, frivolous Easter baskets were not needed, and so could not be had. Flour to bake the loaf of bread the family ate every day was always needed. Shoes to replace the two-small ones the children's collective 120 growing toes were always outgrowing were always needed. Coats for the snowy wind and the wintery cold where these children lived were always needed.
And for a happy Easter, a coat really WAS all that was needed.
On the night before Easter, the children would lay their coats on the living room floor. All those coats. They would probably toss and turn with excitement through the night as children do, waiting excitedly for the Easter bunny to come. And the Easter bunny did. Filling each child's coat pockets and sleeves, folds and hoods with decorated eggs, chocolate candies and jellybeans.
An enormously wonderful Easter treat hide-and-seek.
When I saw this drawing by our 6-year-old, it touched me to see how much our family's coat tradition had become part of what she looked forward to most about Easter.
This wonderful coat thing happened every spring. And this practical, make-do idea became an Easter tradition. Each Easter—as my mother had, and then my sisters and I—our children are eager to lay out their coats on Easter eve. Excited for Easter morning and the scavenger hunt to find what's been hidden inside.
While this idea has been a tradition in our family for at least three generations, it's a wonderful Easter tradition for anyone to begin. No messy Easter grass to sweep up. No pink plastic Easter baskets to toss out or find a use for afterwards. Only the special memories of an Easter treat coat hide-and-seek are left over. All that's required for this eco-friendly Easter idea are the children's own coats that can be used year after year. And that's all that's needed.
easter treats and sweets ideas
What our children look forward to finding hidden in their coats Easter morning (The following contain Amazon Affiliate links):
• watercolors, colored pencils
• sand toys
• easter eggs the children have decorated (see our link to our very own pretty idea)
• natural bubble bath
• clay
• classic metal Slinky
• spring books (see our link here for classic children's spring books)
• 100% maple candy
• natural jelly beans
below left: fun with a classic Slinky from the Easter bunny below right: not a basket from the Easter bunny, this one is for him—with a special note from one of our children bottom left: proudly cradling just-dyed eggs bottom right: Easter candies peeking out of our daughter's coat pocket—our Easter treat hide-and-seek.
©heather cahoon • wordplayhouse®
