Today’s Easter memories are circa 1966. As a young tot in San Diego, you can see the jolly anticipation on my face of collecting Easter eggs. As the youngest of three, I was allowed to be front and center with my two older brothers.
In our house, Easter was almost as big as Christmas when it came to celebrating. There was the Easter egg hunt followed by a very hearty breakfast made from scratch by Mom. Although Easter is a religious holiday, I cannot ever remember being told the meaning behind the celebration or ever having that discussed in our household.
Sure, we went to church on Easter (one of the two times we went during the year), but Jesus and Christianity were saved for the minister, not discussed at home. The home celebration was completely secular. New outfits, bunnies (the toy kind), candy, coloring eggs, and chocolate…lots of chocolate.
I helped flip the pancakes for our Easter breakfast.
Meanwhile, over in the land of Shirley…for Easter, 1936, Shirley received this gigantic card from Kansas. From the accompanying publicity blurb:
Shirley Temple proudly displays a huge Easter Greeting Postal Card autographed by five hundred little girl friends of Hutchison, Kansas. The card is eight feet long and four feet high.
With postal rates today, you’d probably need to take a second loan out on your home to be able to send this gigantic card. Anybody recognize the names on here?
In 1940, Shirley posed with a gigantic stuffed bunny and colored eggs that spelled out the holiday. I wonder if Shirley placed them or if the prop man did it? Time is money, so most likely it was the prop man.
A color portrait from the same Easter session:
Shirley fandom aside, for Easter, it’s Judy and Fred all the way. You just can’t beat “Easter Parade” (1948) as the annual classic to watch. Below is a newly created caricature of Judy from the film’s finale.
While Gene Kelly (originally cast in the male lead until he injured his ankle) would have made a more age-appropriate pairing for Garland, you can’t help but root for Garland and Astaire to walk triumphantly together down Fifth Avenue at the end of the film in the title number.
For all who celebrate today (Christian AND secular versions!), I wish you a Happy Easter!
See more photos at my main website.
2 comments:
Happy Easter Dave, and to your readers, too! Wonderful family pictures of you and your brothers - thanks for sharing.
Sue
What a fun blog for the day! My mother was a single mom until I was 6 yrs old, so my sister and I (in spite of being Jewish) got to celebrate a secular Easter since my mom didn't want us to be "left out." I have fond memories of frilly dresses, egg hunts and of course watching Easter Parade on TV. I still celebrate Easter! Had my Cadbury egg this morning!
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