Easter Far From Home

Last Updated on December 24, 2012 by Jody Halsted

Growing up I can remember waking on Easter Sunday to find a woven plastic basket with green Easter grass and treats, a new dress laid along side. After breakfast we would put on our new finery and head to one of our Grandparent's homes for a family gathering and Easter egg hunt with the cousins.

Because I remember those times fondly- and because my family is all nearby- I do my best to be home for Easter.  But there are times we have spent Easter in other locations.  Though we may not be able to follow all our traditions I do try to keep some semblance of normality to our day.   In 2009 we spent Easter on Boston's South Shore.  The girls were younger so we didn't have the  “Will the Easter Bunny find us” drama that may happen with older children.  And find us he did…  spoiling the girls with new Disney Princess night gowns & flip flops, buckets filled with treats and the sweetest Velveteen rabbits ever to be cuddled.

The girls were so excited when they woke that Easter morning.  New silky nighties had to be tried on and then the buckets and shovels tried out.  Because we had no family nearby- and no plans for the day- we decided to drive to Cape Cod.  A couple hours later we stopped in Falmouth, to enjoy the sunny, albeit chilly, spring day.

The late morning was spent on the beach, testing the new buckets and shovels, then we wandered the village of Falmouth.  As it was Easter Sunday not much was open.  We popped into Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium– because you can never have enough Easter chocolate- spent way too much money in Eight Cousins Children's Books, and had a delicious meal at Liam Maguire's Irish Pub  & Restaurant. 

During our 4 months in Massachusetts it was the only time we made it to The Cape and to have such a beautiful day, in such a lovely town, with no crowds…  It was an incredible day we'll never be able to duplicate.

 Tips for Celebrating Easter Far From Home

• Now is the time to try local treats!  Along with favorites like Cadbury Cream Eggs and Reese's Pieces Carrots toss in treats you won't find anywhere else!
• Visit local artists and shops to find unique gifts.
• Take a chance on visiting a location you might otherwise avoid due to crowds- you may be pleasantly surprised to have the place to yourself!
• Or find a local public celebration.  Who knows, you may add a new tradition to your own Easter festivities!

Note:  At the BlissDom Conference last month I was invited to share a treasured Easter memory for the Hershey's Virtual “Bunny Trail“.  I should probably mention that they plied me (and Caelan) with chocolate..  Need Easter inspiration, recipes or crafts?  Hershey's will help you celebrate Easter no matter where you happen to be.