Instead, everything this year would be...quiet and simple.
First, I made a last minute decision that the Easter Bunny would make an appearance. In Lewie's mind, the Easter Bunny is a tradition, even if he's at the age where he doesn't truly "believe" a magical bunny visits the house. In years past, I would make trips to the mall, local gift shops, and even a gourmet candy store to buy unique items for Lewie's basket. Granted, Lewie never seemed to care that his chocolate bunny, chocolate nonpareils, and marshmallow eggs were organic and gluten free, but I sure enjoyed making the baskets look like they came from a fancy catalog. The books, toys, or little tokens would also be carefully picked out to follow the theme for the season...such as Lewie's interest in trains one year or in Iron Man the next.
This year, the Easter Bunny would go rouge. Actually, I (I mean he) had no choice. The mall and the little shops were closed, and even if they weren't, I wouldn't feel safe going to multiple places, which causes greater risk of exposure. Candy and the two gift cards all came from our local grocery store. The basket, however, did come from a local farm market, which included a chocolate covered caramel apple, a cotton candy cone, and yummy chocolate covered pretzels. With the basket already made, all I had to do was slip in the two gift cards with some Kit Kats, a few Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and some Cadbury Mini-Eggs. Voila! It was the easiest basket ever, and yet, my kid was just as happy as any Easter! Eggs, of course, were hidden around the living room, too.
After spending a morning of looking for eggs and an Easter basket (and filling up on chocolate candy), we tuned into Facebook to watch our priest and deacon conduct Easter Mass at our church. There were no people, of course, but the choral director was there to play music, and the alter was decked out with beautiful Easter Lilies (just as if we had been there in person). There we sat, in our pj's at the kitchen table, watching mass like it was a show on Netflix. Unfortunately, the sound was a bit muffled, and so it didn't always keep our full-attention; we closed the mass early when the image froze.
The rest of the day was leisurely. Lew, Little Lewie, and I took a walk by a nearby farm, we ate dinner next door at my mom's side of the house (she made chicken parm), and I took pictures of Lewie outside by our vinca and daffodils, which were in full bloom.
At six o'clock, our family agreed to do a Zoom video chat, but the time kept on getting pushed back. By eight o'clock, finally, most of our family from Delaware, Oregon, and CT "zoomed in" to speak with one another. It was funny! With everyone talking all at once, it was hard to pick a conversation and run with it. At times, my mom and I would say something, and we didn't even think anyone could hear us on the other end. My youngest cousin (who is still three years older than me) and his seven year-old daughter kept on entertaining us with their antics. In one minute on the full screen, we'd see the two of them battling with lightsabers; the next minute, they'd be wearing scary masks. (We concluded his apartment was a toy-lover's dream.) Then, my oldest cousin, made us laugh until we cried with his silly comments and off-color humor. It was truly like having all seventeen of them in our living room, only better.
Yes, Easter this year was not the "same;" we didn't follow our typical tradition. However, I would argue that holidays do not need to be the "same" to be wonderful. I loved our Easter this year. We had a chance to enjoy the beautiful 60 degree sunshine (and some yummy chocolate eggs) while seeing our church and our family on a computer screen. In some ways, our family felt more connected because even our family from Oregon and Delaware were able to join (which is never the case for Easter).
Yes, I can't wait until I can physically be with everyone and give them a big gigantic hug, but until then, I will count my blessings and pray for those who are either suffering from this terrible pandemic or out there saving lives and taking care of all of us.
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