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 Egg-cellent Ideas for Easter
The simple egg is one of the oldest symbols of spring. It represents new life and rebirth. Though many of us associate eggs with Easter, the custom of giving eggs dates back well beyond the beginnings of this Christian holiday to the most ancient pagan traditions. Egyptians and Persians dyed eggs in spring colors and gave them to friends as symbols of renewed life, long before the birth of Christ. Some Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures tell creation stories of the earth itself being hatched from a giant egg.
A Safe Egg Tip:
Don’t let an Easter Egg make you sick.
Before and after you dye them, don’t keep eggs out
of the fridge for more than two hours!
— Maryland Department of Agriculture
 Painting Eggs
According to Polish tradition, on the first Good Friday a man was taking a basket of eggs to market to sell. On the way, he put the basket down and ran to help Christ carry the cross. When he returned, the eggs were decorated in beautiful colors.
To make your beautiful eggs, try natural dyes. Use onion skins to make yellow, grass for green, red cabbage for purple, coffee for tan, blueberries for blue. The more you have, the deeper the color.
Add the ingredients to several cups of water and boil until you get a color to suit your fancy. Strain out the solids, collecting the water. When the dye cools, add your hard-boiled eggs and let them soak until they reach the desired color. After they dry, polish them with a bit of cooking oil on a soft cloth.
Make eggs similar to these fancy Polish Pisanki by drawing designs on hard-boiled eggs with crayon, then dipping them in food coloring. The food coloring won’t stick to the wax, and your beautiful design will show through.
Or marvel over marbled eggs. Add some crayon shavings to very hot (nearly boiling) water, then dip a boiled egg as soon as the shavings melt. Twirl the egg to make a marbleized design with the wax and remove the egg to dry.
Kid's Stuff
Thursday, March 28
County-Wide Egg Hunt
 Join hundreds ( ages 12 & under) seeking eggs in Calvert County’s official hunt 11am @ Hallowing Point Park, Prince Frederick. Free: 410/586-1101.
Saturday, March 30
Easter Bunny Breakfast
Breakfast w/the Easter Bunny, then take pictures and hunt for Easter eggs. Ages 12 & under. 9am @ Maryland Way Restaurant, Solomons. $4.99 includes breakfast/photo: 410/394-3618.
Family Birdhouse Workshop
Build a cedar birdhouse to welcome the bluebirds home. Bring cordless drill (1/8" bit) and Philips screwdriver; all other materials provided. 10am @ Kinder Farm Park, Millersville. $12/family; rsvp: 410/222-6115.
Prehistoric Egg Hunt
Hunt for Easter eggs in this prehistoric park and maybe you’ll discover some fossils. Ages 8 & under. 10am @ Calvert Cliffs State Park, Lusby. Free/donations welcome to keep up this volunteer-run park: 301/872-5688.
Redeemer Egg Hunt
Kiddies 9 & under hunt for eggs, then enjoy treats and see a video of the Easter story. 11am @ Redeemer Lutheran Church, Deale: 410/867-9797.
Tuesday, April 2
Kids ‘n’ Critters
Listen to the woods for sounds of animals enjoying the arrival of spring. Ages 3-5 w/parent. 10:30am @ King’s Landing Park, Huntingtown. $3 w/discounts; rsvp: 410/535-5327.
Storytime w/Mr. Mike
Join Mister Mike for some of his favorite stories. 10:30am @ Borders, Bowie: 410/573-4850.
Plan Ahead
Children’s Opera
April 6–A charming children’s adaptation of Mozart’s Magic Flute, The Man Who Would be Papageno introduces opera. 10:30am @ Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis. $5; rsvp: 410/267-8135.
Copyright 2002
Bay Weekly
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