This past glorious weekend in CT was our Greek Easter. It came pretty late this year, which was good weather-wise. Our Aunt Martha and Uncle Alex came as is our tradition. Aunt Martha helps prepare food, and Alex helps Fotis roast the whole lamb, and it just would not be Greekster without them.
The kids got Easter baskets (my notions of a US commercial holiday). And two years ago I think it was Theodore who noted, “So, the Easter Bunny shops at the Gap?” You see, each year they get spring/summer pajamas. They get flips flops. One chocolate bunny, that fake grass that migrates everywhere. They also get fun tin lunch boxes with Spiderman or Hello Kitty or Star Wars designs. Which no one uses and just pile up.
“How come we don’t get as much as Christmas?” Theodore asked this year. Because it’s Easter, was my brilliant reply.
We had friends join in, the outside looked great. Kids were on the playscape or the soccer field or rummaging the outdoor fridge or freezer for self-serve juice boxes, ice cream sandwiches and cones. I think it’s the self-serve aspect, plus the vaguely contraband loot of it all, so this was the hugest hit.
Next year, I’ll put out all the food we have, and not forget the watermelons. I’ll get three cakes from Da Capo’s. I’ll do more sides and prettier nibble-fare. Next year I will set the table a month in advance and really make a splash. Next year it coincides with the US Easter, April 20, so no one will be able to come! Except for Alex and Martha and these two amazing women we know who are excellent servers and also Muslim! It will also be the boys’ 8th birthdays that day.
But the year after that then, if I can commit these notes to memory.
In Greece, that say Christos Anesti (Christ as risen) as a greeting for the days following Pascha. The reply is Alithos Anesti (indeed, he has risen).
Yes, indeed.
