Thinking Out of The Basket (the EASTER Basket) OR Easter Decor/Treats

And indeed all of these characters have interesting stories to tell, stories that I had hoped to begin to post (my intention implied in my Palm Sunday HT entry) on Easter Sunday (yesterday).

But alas that was not meant to be, and I "shoulda" anticipated that, for, as the saying goes "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans . . . "

However, if you really want to hear a good laugh tell your writing muse your plans, which I did while in the throes of a cold/virus that I was afflicted with on Palm Sunday, a virus that did not leave my system until Easter afternoon, causing me to miss days of writing as well as all the celebrations surrounding Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and the volunteer work I was scheduled to do on Easter Sunday!

In other words, I have not had a chance to post the whimsical characters' role in Easter decor! Thankfully Easter is a fifty day celebration* so I may still get the chance.

*http://catholicism.about.com/b/2013/04/01/the-50-days-of-easter.htm

Meanwhile on another (and much sadder note), my recent bout with being sick was not the only thing which kept me away from posting in my cyber-venues. Soon after my last post on HT, I received word that my uncle Jerry (pictured below) was dying.

Jerry has ultimately died, passing away on Holy Thursday. He lived in Illinois and I live in New York City so I have not seen him in recent years but he is a part of my Easter memories as a child.

My grandfather (Jerry's father) would hide eggs as well as baskets for my sisters and me to find. Because my sisters and I wanted to make my grandfather feel he'd hidden our treats well, we would always pretend we could not find them, even if they were right in front of our eyes!

In any event, the baskets my grandfather hid were full of the traditional Easter goodies, and I have followed in his footsteps regarding Easter baskets. I have not hid them but I have always made sure to give them to friends as well as family.

I try and think out of the basket when it comes to presenting those near and dear to me with an Easter basket. Recently instead of including the traditional chocolate Easter bunny with cream filled eggs, I gave a friend an Easter fish with sea shells — all made of chocolate — as seen below.

One of the recipients of my out-of-the-basket Easter basket also likes to play the role of the "e Bunny" and one of her baskets to me can be seen in the picture below, where it is resting between two wrapped eggs that I bought for my niece and nephew.

My friends and I are among many who think out of the basket in terms of ways to celebrate Easter, but edible treats are not the only way to pay homage to the Easter season.

There is a family who owns a brownstone on my block that honors the Easter season by decorating their home's exterior as seen in the images below.

And what about you, dear reader? If you celebrate the Easter season, do you give those near and dear to you unusual treats? If so, what do you give them? Do you decorate your home's interior (such as I do with whimsical figurines)? Or perhaps like the folks down the block from me, you decorate your home's exterior?

Whatever you do to honor your Easter season, I wish you a blessed one, and I remind you that if you have not had a chance to do much for Easter, fear not, it's a 50 Day Celebration!