Celebrating Holidays | The Dolls Are Alright

The Easter Parade and Looking Fabulous

I just love when Easter arrives. Not just because it’s the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, which, of course is important and definitely something to celebrate ~ but, every year, I get a brand new, very pretty Easter outfit.

Tricia in her Easter outfit

Tricia wearing a white with yellow flowered dress and straw bonnet

Please don’t think me shallow, because really, there’s been a belief since the early 1800s that wearing three new things on Easter assures good luck during the new year. It’s even written in Poor Robin’s Almanac:

At Easter, let your clothes be new
or else be sure you will it rue.

And I’m not one to quibble over a brand new outfit!

You certainly know about the Easter Parade where women in their Easter finest, wearing fabulous bonnets walk down Fifth Avenue. It’s really something to behold!

And it all began in the 1870s when Easter was known as the Sunday of Joy.

You see, so many women and girls had worn dark colors in mourning during the Civil War (how sad). When the war ended, they were really happy and started wearing colorful clothes again.

With the celebration of the Sunday of Joy, the women and girls made sure to be especially pretty in bright-colored clothes and hats adorned with blooming fresh flowers. They wanted to look their finest for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

After Mass, the women walked from their church to another, carrying Easter flowers.

Over the years, as is often the case you know, traditions changed ~ instead of walking from one church to another, a parade down Fifth Avenue became all the rage ~ it’s the Easter Parade. Women and men wearing the most fabulous hats and colorful outfits stroll down Fifth Avenue, hoping to have their picture taken for everyone to see how pretty they look.

One day, I want to be in that parade and have my picture taken.

Whenever I say the words Easter Parade, I immediately think of the glamorous Judy Garland and Fred Astaire singing Irving Berlin’s 1933 hit of the same name.

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.
I’ll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I’ll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade.
On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I’m taking to the Easter Parade.

May your Easter be filled with joy and celebration ~ bright colors and pretty things ~ and delicious chocolate and love. Happy Easter!

Holy Week ~ A Time of Remembrance

This is a holy week, a time of remembrance for both Christians and Jews ~ of what was, what is and what will be. Both celebrate the renewal of life and hope ~ one from death and the other from slavery.

The Christian Holy Week is a solemn time as Christians remember the days leading up to Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday:

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week and commemorates the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem where palms were blessed and laid down for Him to walk on;
Maundy Thursday commemorates Passover, the Last Supper. It is a day of reconciliation, a consecration of holy oils and a washing of the feet (an ancient rite, commemorating Christ’s washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper to illustrate humility and the spirit of service);
Good Friday commemorates the day of Christ’s arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and burial;
Holy Saturday is the Sabbath on which Jesus rested in his tomb; and
Easter Sunday is the most joyous Christian celebration, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus.

This is also a holy week for those of the Jewish faith as Passover begins at sundown on Friday, April 6. This is an eight-day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.

A Seder is prepared with special foods, songs and customs that follow a set order, and the story of Passover is retold through the reading of the Haggadah. During the Seder, four glasses of wine are poured to represent the four stages of the exodus:

Freedom;
Deliverance
Redemption; and
Release.

A fifth cup of wine is poured and placed on the Seder table as an offering for the Prophet Elijah.

Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover or the season of Spring, this is a perfect time to remember the gift of life we do have. How lucky we are that we can celebrate freely what and who we may believe in. And to also take some time to think of what may still stop us from reaching for our dreams, our passion, what we believe our destiny is as Christ and the Israelites believed in their destinies.

I would think there were a few times when Jesus was scared, as well as the Israelites. But for all, the fear never stopped them. They knew there was something more to life, there was a sense of renewal and purpose that guided them. When I feel scared, I take deep breaths, staying very aware of what is scaring me and holding onto my faith that I will get to the other side of the fear.

What do you do when you’re afraid? When you know there’s something new you want to bring into your life, but you feel scared, how do you get through it?

You block your dream
when you allow your fear
to grow bigger than your faith.
~ Mary Manin Morrissey