Families often have traditions strictly adhered to for planning Easter egg hunts, and our family is no different. The first tradition involves taking the ladder to the garage, dragging down the box labeled "Easter" and blowing off the dust. Back in the house everything comes out of the box to take stock of the inventory. Stacked on the kitchen table are baskets of all sizes and shapes, numerous colors of cellophane grass, the carefully wrapped candy dish from great grandma with a bunny attached to the lid, wire shapes for dipping eggs, the crocheted girl and boy bunnies (the girl lost one ear years ago), the clinging window decals, and nearly a hundred plastic eggs from the past that need to be filled with candy. Here and there are old jelly beans that stuck to the decorations and inadvertently got packed away.
The second tradition is going to the store to buy egg coloring kits. The type varies, depending on the age of the egg hunters. Fifty years ago there weren't many options for coloring eggs. There were tablets of primary colors to mix in tea cups with hot water and vinegar. Creativity was shown by drawing designs and names with a wax crayon on the hard boiled egg before dipping into the colors. Now the stores carry racks of coloring kits. There is something to appeal to everyone, from cute little bunnies and ducklings to action figures. There are kits with glitter and metallic colors, stickers and traditional wax markers, and some even include tattoos for the kids. My favorite are the wrappers that slip around the boiled egg then shrink to fit when dipping the egg in boiling water.
While at the store I pick up candy to fill the plastic eggs and small gifts for each hunter. It's possible to get a sugar high just walking down the aisle of Easter candy; the display can be smelled at least two aisles away. I can't just get candy for the eggs; I have to get the big solid chocolate bunny for grandpa and a cute Mrs. Bunny for grandma. And, I can't forget the marshmallow "peepers" for our adult daughter. By the time I fill my shopping cart with everything I need, including the eggs to be boiled for coloring, I've spent at least $100.00.
The third tradition is to get the time confirmed for the kids to color the eggs. Then, the craft table has to be cleaned off and covered with many layers of newsprint and all the necessary supplies laid out. Coloring time arrives and the excited kids can't wait to color the most beautiful, creative eggs. Since this is a family tradition, the parents need to be available to help the little ones and encourage the bigger ones. Someone is appointed official picture taker and has the camera ready.
After Easter day dawns, brand new clothes are donned, and the church service is attended, it is time for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Grandma and grandpa's house is the best place for egg hunts. Before everyone arrives, it is grandpa's sworn duty to hide the eggs. He must be very creative with hiding eggs and is challenged to find more difficult hiding spots each year as the age of the hunters increase. The hidden eggs are the filled plastic ones, and there is an egg for each child bearing his or her name that is the prized Money Egg. The rule is that if a hunter finds an egg with another child's name on it, the hunter cannot keep it or tell where it is hidden.
Everyone gets involved in the hunt, it's the rule. The younger hunters get special attention to help them find the eggs, and the more experienced hunters learn to keep one eye on grandpa in case he gives a hint to a little one. When the children think all the eggs have been found, they must count all the eggs in their baskets because grandma knows exactly how many were hidden. Invariably the hunt continues until the last egg is accounted for. With joy on their faces, along with some chocolate smudges, each family gathers their kids, baskets of eggs and their candy, and head for home with feelings of family traditions warming their hearts like grandma's soft afghan wrapped around them.