March 28, 2016

Writing About: Easter



I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!


Here is another holiday not often used except, perhaps, in Christian stories, but it could be a neat holiday for children’s books and any stories that revolve around families. That’s not all though, a story featuring wiccans/pagans (witches) can also use Easter scenes because Christians and Wiccans do the same things, but for Wiccans it is for the Spring Equinox.


1. Dye Eggs

This is always an activity that kids love, so let your MC’s children get colorful fingers by dying eggs with water, vinegar and food coloring, or with paint.

2. Egg Hunt

Now have your MC and his/her spouse or bf/gf hide eggs (real and plastic) all over the house and/or outside. This could be a fun and sweet moment between your characters. Then you get to describe the shenanigans as the kids look high and low for the eggs. This really would make a cute scene. I want to write one now!

3. Easter Bunny

And of course if you’ve got kids in your story, you also need to include the Easter Bunny! The Easter Bunny brings all kinds of goodies. He’s almost as loved as Santa. So let the parents mention this furry friend and have the kids squeal with excitement when they see a carrot was devoured and treats were left. Parents can do this and also teach their kids about Jesus and the real meaning behind this day.

4. Church

Many people go to church on Easter. If your characters are religious, you can mention the Easter service they attend. Keep it short and sweet, though. Not all readers will want to read a long-winded church service scene. You could always add more to this scene, such as a romantic meeting…many couples meet at church.

5. Easter Dinner

A feast with honey-glazed ham, green bean casserole or collard greens, and yams/mashed potatoes is nice to do for a family-oriented story. Or even a romance…think: meeting the parents for the first time. This could go smoothly or be a disaster…like a Thanksgiving dinner.




QUESTIONS: I still dye Easter eggs for fun but also because I like hardboiled eggs. Do you dye eggs? Do you remember when you stopped believing in the Easter bunny? I think I was about 8 or 9. I tried hard to keep believing, though.




68 comments:

  1. We don't buy eggs anymore, so it's been years since we dyed any.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't blame you for not buying eggs anymore.

      Delete
  2. I dye eggs with my son, but he didn't want to do it this year because he couldn't eat them! *LOL* Great writing tips for the holiday. I stopped believing when I was about 7 or 8. I already knew Santa wasn't real by that point. Parents who party on Christmas Eve don't make for good quiet Santas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I knew Santa wasn't real by then too but I very much wanted to believe the Easter Bunny was at least real. lol

      Delete
  3. I used to enjoy dyeing the eggs. Haven't done it for years! I remember the smell of vinegar, the fizz when you drop those Paas tablets in it. I know there's lots of fancier ways to color eggs now. but I'm kind of old school. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't use Paas tablets, but I do use apple cider vinegar. That smell will always remind me of dying eggs.

      Delete
  4. Haven't dyed eggs in years. I once wrote a post about a killer easter bunny lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never celebrated Easter, but I do enjoy the 1/2 chocolate the day after. LOL
    Also, like many DVD's, I enjoy placing hidden Easter Eggs on my blog. I even have a tag to identify where they are. I like to have fun with it.
    That all being said, great suggestions Chrys.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My kids always liked dying eggs though they don't all like to eat them. We haven't done it for a while. Hope your Easter was grand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My sisters liked dying eggs but hated eating hard-boiled eggs.

      Delete
  7. I'm so old, I remember dying Easter eggs when you had to use hot water and my mom would always be afraid we would burn ourselves. We never did though, LOL. Three siblings, we each got to dye a dozen of eggs. We lived on egg salad sandwiches and ham sandwiches the next week after Easter :)

    I think my kids stopped dying eggs early high school years. Haven't dyed them in years.

    Great tips for writing about Easter, especially if that is in the timeline of where the story takes place.

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still dye eggs with warm water, food coloring, and apple cider vinegar! That's how my mom did and it hers before her.

      Delete
  8. I never really enjoyed dying eggs, but my family used to do it when I was younger. We also used to do a candy hunt in lieu of an egg hunt (but there were a few plastic eggs filled with candy), and church, and the big ham dinner, and the frilly Easter dresses complete with straw hats and little white gloves...

    With the exception of the candy...I don't really miss any of that. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My family never did candy hunts. I did it once at a church but there were so many kids that I only found a few plastic eggs.

      Delete
  9. Wonderful Easter post Chrys, I don't buy eggs now as my grandchildren are well into their teens and I think prefer the cash. Will certainly add your link on the A to Z.
    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I remember dying eggs for Easter when I went to daycare when I was younger. Haven't done it since I left. I was raised in the Catholic church so my mom or aunt would takes us all to church.

    Thanks for sharing this post Chrys. I've yet to write about Easter but you've just inspired me to include an Easter/Spring Equinox scene/event as part of book 3 story ideas to my current YA supernatural work in progress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I could inspire you for your YA supernatural WIP. I bet this scene would be a fun one in your story. :)

      Delete
    2. Well more fun for me than for my MC and her mother. On the bright side they'll both be on the same page. ;-D

      Delete
    3. Ah. I see. Well, then it's be fun for the readers as well. ;)

      Delete
  11. I no longer celebrate Easter, but I enjoy writing holiday chapters and scenes for religions that aren't my own. When I still celebrated Easter in childhood, my parents used to put notes around the house or apartment, like a treasure hunt for my Easter presents, culminating in finding the Easter basket itself.

    My E post for this year's A to Z on my main blog will (mostly) be about how Easter was celebrated in Imperial Russia. Orthodox Christians have a very strict fast, Great Lent, for the seven weeks leading up to Easter, with a lot of foods they're forbidden to eat. One week before Great Lent begins, meat is already forbidden, and people gorge themselves on all the foods which will soon be off-limits. When Easter finally comes, they have a huge meal with all the things they weren't allowed to eat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A treasure hunt for your Easter presents is a clever idea.

      I'm not doing A to Z this year but I'll try to visit your blog on this day to read about how Imperial Russia celebrated Easter.

      Delete
  12. I'm not a big fan of Easter. I started to lose my enthusiasm for it as an adult, not sure why. So, thanks for this inspiration, Chrys :)

    I do like the symbolism of the religious holiday though. The sacrifice, death and re-birth would go well with a serious plot line.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When you don't have kids around, Easter isn't as much fun anymore. The symbolism is great Easter.

      Delete
  13. My parents were never into fairy-taling their kids. We always knew there was no Santa and I doubt we were made to believe an egg carrying bunny existed either. But I think we might have participated in Easter Egg hunts when I was really small for good fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand that. Now-a-days, many parents are practicing the same thing as your parents.

      Delete
  14. My nieces and nephews do all the egg dying now. I get to watch the hunt and feast on the deviled eggs later.

    I loved the childhood myths. I still do, but I can't remember when I knew for sure that Santa was never going to visit me again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I adore childhood myths too. I can't help it. And I can't help but pass them on. :)

      Delete
  15. When I figured out Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny went along, too. I haven't done Easter in years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think after I learned about Santa when Easter came that was when I put two-and-two together. It didn't help when I walked into my parent's room that night and saw the bundles of Easter goodies on their bed, waiting for us kids to go to sleep. lol

      Delete
  16. I took plastic eggs and made them into Minions.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh the images you summon!

    At first when Santa
    went away
    I could only pout
    When Easter Bunny
    went astray
    I let out a shout
    And then the fairy
    didn’t pay
    when all my teeth fell out!
    Gone are childhood dreams
    for little ones, no doubt
    when all too soon they realize
    what life is all about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that! You are so good at creating prose so fast after reading my posts.

      Delete
    2. You are a master at inspiration, lady Chrys!

      Delete
  18. I haven't dyed eggs in a long time. My mom got 3 dozen this year for my nephews, but then they got sick and weren't able to come! =(

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wonderful suggestions. When my boys were little we had lots of fun dying eggs, having Easter egg hunts, and family together. They're scattered from coast to coast now, but the memories are always with me. Hoe you had a lovely Easter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The memories are the best. :) I had a realizing Easter. I hope you had a good Easter!

      Delete
  20. Don't dye the eggs anymore. The boys are too old and no longer care. Never thought of it as a holiday to write about. I will have to consider it though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder how you could put a murderous twist on it. ;)

      Delete
  21. I dyed eggs as a kid. It was so fun. These are great descriptions for writing about Easter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will always remember dying eggs as a kid. :)

      Delete
  22. I would still dye eggs of I didn't feel nausea after eating them. Bummer. Wouldn't it be cool if the Easter Bunny was named Harvey and was invisible and 6ft tall:).....of course I am stealing this idea from a movie. My dad always said that was his name. Fond memories.....Good Friday was watching my meat and potatoes dad salty away from eating meat and then, in the last hour before midnight, asking my mom if it was midnight yet. He felt he was weak from not having meat. My Aunt and U clue would come down every Easter with their 3 kids and Saturday night, my mom would blow out about a dozen eggs, clear the table and set it up to paint them with real paints! We could make a scene or do abstract....it was so much fun and quite the wonderful tradition we had for many years. I still have some of the eggs and, next year, plan on having one of these festive nights. Sunday, we went to church where I would yawn and watch my dad do the whiplash- fall asleep only to wake up by jolting your head back. It was quite funny. When we came back, and if the weather was nice, we would go a hunting for eggs and chocolate. My dad would get I on the action but when he found something my mom told him to put it back. He thought that was quite unfair as he found it. This was a man who was in his mid 60's and a lumberman:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Easter Bunnies' name is Harvey? Who knew? ;)

      I always wanted to paint Easter eggs. It looks like fun and you can get more creative.

      Sounds like you have great Easter memories. :)

      Delete
  23. It has been years since I have dyed eggs. My family didn't do it very often, but we always got an Easter basket full of candy and a few toys :) My mom and dad didn't really try to make my brother and I believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa, although there were times when I was 7 or 8 when I wanted Santa to be real.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had wanted Santa to be real too when I realized he didn't exist.

      Delete
  24. I don't dye eggs anymore, but until recently, my bf and I still did Easter baskets and the egg hunt for each other. It was a lot of fun. We're trying to eat healthier, but it seemed odd not to do something special.

    Have you seen Rise of the Guardians? Very fun, original take on the Easter bunny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's cute that you and your bf did Easter baskets and egg hunts for each other.

      I haven't seen that. but I'll have to check it out now.

      Delete
  25. My daughter stopped believing at 8, which was just this past December. Santa and the Easter Bunny went out the window two days before Christmas. Sad. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw. That is sad. Especially about Santa just before Christmas.

      Delete
  26. I remember when I was young getting a band of silk flowers and ribbon for my hair. My mother wore an Easter Bonnet. It may have been for a parade.

    Anna from elements of emaginette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's sweet. I never dressed up for Easter but I adore the dresses and hats for little girls.

      Delete
  27. Hi Chrys .. I've never died eggs - and not having children then never tried at that stage ... but I love the ideas you put down here ... cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not even as a kid? You should buy some eggs to dye for fun right now! :D

      Delete
  28. I was very upset when I learned the Easter Bunny wasn't real. I think I was about 8 years old. My mom told me, but I wasn't ready to know that.

    I dyed eggs up until a couple of years ago with my kids. Now they're not interested, so I don't bother. I like hard boiled eggs, though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's hard when you're a kid and you're not ready to know that these things you believed in so passionately aren't real.

      Delete
  29. I learn about so many crafty things I can do during holidays, such as Easter. On a friend's FB page, I learned that you can dye eggs with shaving cream. Never knew that! And of course, I love looking at pictures of all the Easter themed recipes and desserts-some look too pretty to eat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dye eggs with shaving cream? That's different!

      Delete
  30. Hope you enjoyed Easter, Chrys. I buy the dyed eggs. It's traditional here in Germany - and we can eat them, yum yum! Protein :) My goddaughter made me an egg cup made out of ... an old egg box and lots of feathers :) Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did enjoy my Easter. I hope you enjoyed yours, Nicola!

      You can buy eggs already dyed? That's neat.

      Delete
  31. My family doesn't celebrate Easter though my sister likes to buy chocolate eggs for my nieces. I have to say, they look very pretty!

    ReplyDelete