Easter Bunny Saturday

It was March 30, 1975. I woke up Easter morning, and ran to the front door (well, I actually kind of waddled to the front door). I threw it open hoping to see a beautiful basket left by the Easter bunny with eggs, and candy, and flowers, and chocolate and grass (you get the picture) but most of all, I was hoping to see a baby in it. I was three days overdue and had pinned my hopes on the Easter Bunny bringing our baby as a surprise! He let me down – no baby. She was born the next day – my beautiful Shannon. It would have been a lot more comfortable to have had the bunny deliver it, though, so I figured he owed me.

Being a good researcher, I decided to find out everything I could about his history before I confronted him. The earliest references to the Easter Bunny trace back to Germany in the 1500s and parts of France during the 1600s. He’d been around a LONG time and should have known better than to disappoint a pregnant woman! Some claim that his a symbolic representation of life dates back to pagan fertility rituals. Fertility rituals....yeah, he should know better!

My information gathering was proving fruitful – he had been alive a LONG time. He came to the US from Germany – I had good reason to suspect that he actually came from the Carpathian Mountains and went to Germany after Trannsylvania was defeated in 1004. Fearful of discovery, he laid low in Dusseldorf, changing his personna into that of playful, loving “Oschter Haws." He occasionally made PR visits to Hamm and Wuppertal, and even once to Frankfurt. He emigrated to the US in the 1700s with German immigrants who brought with them both the Easter Bunny and the egg tradition. Taking root in the Pennsylvania colony, the tradition of the Easter Bunny and eggs was almost as popular as the Christmas traditions. Children would make nests in secluded spots, believing that if they were good, that the Easter Bunny would bring them brightly colored eggs or candy. The tradition of making hidden nests for the eggs gradually evolved into traditional egg hunts in which children would carry their baskets about searching for the eggs and candy to gather up.

Armed to the teeth (no pun intended) with carrot “stakes,” I sought out “Count” Bunny. (He lives up City Creek by Pocatello, ID, in case any of you are interested. ) Our initial meeting can best be described as taking place with fangs exposed. I told him my complaint and he explained to me the legal definition of “libel.” He was a “good, God-fearing bunny”, and I better not hint otherwise. We made a deal, I kept my “findings” (completely spurious findings according to him–he’s never even HEARD of Carpathia) to myself. He agreed to come to my home every year on the Friday night before Easter so that we could find our baskets Saturday morning and leave Sunday for the observance of the Savior’s death and resurrection. It’s worked well.

He didn’t come today. I guess he knew that there were no children here to leave baskets for and that I’m on a diet and Dean has given chocolate up. Too bad, I’ll miss him.

2 Easter recipes:

Easter Nests
12 oz. package butterscotch chips (chocoholics can use a package of milk chocolate chips)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. peanuts
5 oz. Chinese noodles

Melt butterscotch chips, add peanut butter and blend. Add peanuts and Chinese noodles and blend well. Form into nests on waxed paper and cookie sheet. Cool in refrigerator. Add jelly beans or candy eggs of your choice.

Easter Carrot Cake
2 c sugar
1-1/2 c. canola oil
5 eggs
3 c. grated carrots (about 7)
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. chopped nuts

In mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Mix in carrots. Combine in bowl flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Sift. Add flour mixture to carrots mixture. Mix. Add nuts. Pour into greased and floured two round cake pans. Bake in 325 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cake test done.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. soft margarine
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Chopped nuts or dyed coconut to sprinkle on top of frosted cake

Combine cream cheese, margarine, powdered sugar and vanilla; mix well. Use to frost cooled cake. Sprinkle chopped nuts or coconut over top for garnish.