As Lent draws to a close, let’s remember that Easter is a season

As Lent draws to a close, let’s remember that Easter is a season April 17, 2014

My self control as I walked through the grocery store yesterday afternoon was remarkable. I was picking up a few things to round out the hearty dinner that we will have tonight before heading to the Princeton Chapel for Holy Thursday Mass.

All around me, there were Easter desserts on display. Our grocery store has a gourmet bakery department and people must have been working hard because there are chocolate cakes shaped and decorated like eggs, there are bunnies covered in coconut and there are huge, three dimensional lambs. Each one has a little bit of a homemade touch to them, so that they look not like a pathetic store bought cake but like your mom is just maybe the best home baker ever with tons of time on her hands.

Goodies on display at McCaffery’s

I walked away, and I was sad. We will spend Easter at brunch with my grandmother, which is a huge treat, and there will be plenty of good things to eat, but none of these homey sort of desserts, no ham and pineapple upside down cake, not even the lamb and mint sauce that we had growing up in Sag Harbor.

Then, I remembered. Easter is a season. We have not just 1 but 8 celebratory Sundays ahead of us. While our communities will have egg hunts this Saturday morning, we can keep doing them throughout the coming 40 days until the Ascension. The Lord rose and He was with them!

On Monday I’m going to buy lots of tulips and lillies, hopefully on sale (!) and I’m going to put out my Easter decorations, even though we are not hosting a party. I’m even going to call the grocery bakery and see if they will make me one of those egg cakes for next weekend.

I”m going to keep my Lent, finish it out well, and then we are going to party. Ressurrection rolls? Hot crossed buns? We’ve got plenty of time. Oh, and if you know of any Easter traditions that aren’t just loading up on carbs and sugar, please share them below, because I may need some other suggestions!


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