5 Things to Do During Holy Week

                                          

Are you on spring break this week for Easter? If so, then why not take time to celebrate Holy Week! Holy Week, the name given for the seven days leading up to Easter, culminating in the three day Tridium on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, is a celebration filled with beautiful traditions and interesting customs, many of which we can all be a part of! Here are a few fun things you can do to help get the most out of your Holy Week, the week that changed the world!

1. Pick up some fresh palms

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before his Passion, the people greeted him by waving palms and shouting, "Hosanna!" Today, churches still distribute real palm leaves as symbolic reminders of the event, and you can even take them home with you! Though they are blessed, there are still many fun ways to sacredly use them. Palm weaving has become a beloved Palm Sunday pastime for church members young and old alike. Research the Internet (or find someone who's a palm-weaving pro) and you'll finds scores of examples on how to make palm crosses, crowns, and even baskets. After being woven, you can use them as Bible bookmarks, table centerpieces, or as reverent decorations placed behind a crucifix or religious picture.

    

2. Observe the Robin

Hmmm.... what does a red-breasted bird have to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Very much if you read the legend of the robin! Take a look at this adaption of the story:

The Easter Legend of the Robin

Once, long ago, a little bird in Galilee saw a large crowd gathered around a Man carrying a heavy wooden cross. On the Man's head was a crown made from a thorn branch.  The little bird saw that the thorns were hurting the Man.  It wanted to help Him, so it flew down and pulled out the longest, sharpest thorn with its tiny beak.  As he did, a drop of blood from the thorn's wound dripped onto the robin's breast, staining it bright red.

The stain never went away. And so today the robin proudly wears a red breast, because it helped a Man named Jesus.


I just love to imagine this tender scene!
 If you really want to read a wonderfully spun rendition of the tale of the Easter robin, I suggest the one in Easter Garlands by Priscilla Sawyer Lord. It's imagery is so vivid and moving; it was after reading this version that the robin became my favorite bird!

 

 3. Bake some buns!

But not just any buns, mind you! Hot Cross buns, the semi-sweet rolls topped with a delicate icing cross, have been a Good Friday tradition for centuries. Much folklore surround their history, including a claim that hot cross buns baked on Good Friday will never grow moldy. WOAH! That's some crazy shelf-life! Oftentimes raisins, dates and orange zest are added to give the buns that extra-special flavor.



   4. Be sneaky on Wednesday!

The Wednesday of Holy Week is traditionally known as "Spy Wednesday" because on that day, we remember how Judas plotted with the priests and Pharisees to have Jesus arrested. To me, there always seems to be an air of eeriness on this day, as if someone is secretly watching....(shudder) It could just be my imagination. Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled-- even if you do it just for fun!

 

5. Visit a church

On Holy Thursday, Jesus prayed fervently to his Father in heaven from the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew the suffering he was about to endure, and so he begged God for strength and courage. Like his disciples, we too are called to "watch and pray" with him on this night. That's why churches have the custom of staying open late into the night for people to sit with our Lord in prayer. Many Parishes organize "Church Walks", visitations to various churches throughout the evening. You can perform your own church walk! Simply assemble a list of churches you'd like to visit, and on Holy Thursday spend a few minutes at each talking to God. It's a very powerful experience!

I hope you enjoyed these suggestions! Happy Holy Week!

A Unique Way to Dye Easter Eggs.....and More Easter Fun

He is Risen! Alleluia! After 40 days of fasting, prayer and self-denial, the time for celebration has finally come!

Even though its hard to remember sometimes, we can't forget that the Easter season lasts longer than just one Sunday. Are you kidding? Do you think that those 40 straight days of preparation and repentance were all for just 24 hours of rejoicing? Of course not! The Easter season lasts a full 50 days.

Besides the holiday itself, my favorite time around Easter has to be Holy Week. When Palm Sunday arrives my excitement starts to build up. By the time the Sacred Triduum rolls around I am absolutely pumped! All three days are filled with some rich traditions which I love: from the seven church walk on Thursday evening to the blessing of the Easter baskets on Saturday morning.

 We had already bought all the candy we needed from Malley's while staying at my grandma's house a week prior, so I spent the days leading up to Easter getting ready in other ways. Since I'm the least busy and don't live out of state, I was a good candidate to become the official family Baker of the Easter Goodies. On Holy Wednesday I made some special Holy Thursday rosemary buns, which are a close cousin to Hot Crossed Buns. My mom was right, though. I should've started them earlier in the day; They weren't done till 12:40 a.m. ! But despite that, they did turn out pretty good. On Holy Thursday, my friend came over and showed me how to make her grandma's famous nut roll, which, by the way is DELICIOUS! It was my first experience making nut roll and I was surprised at how easy it was. On Holy Saturday I made an Edelweiss Coffee cake. Yummy! There's still one last piece I'm saving in the fridge.

And let's not forget my most favorite pre-Easter activity: dying eggs. I love taking plain white eggs and transforming them into colorful masterpieces. The process reminds me of the transition from winter to spring.

Upon looking up tips for dying the eggs, I came across this fun method:
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/11-ways-to-dye-easter-eggs-naturally/

I thought it looked like such a fun project to do, but unfortunately, this year I can't. But if you're unlike me and don't have an egg carton full of hard boiled colored eggs that are still needing to be eaten, perhaps you can try it for yourself. Let me know if it works!

Put Away the Shorts and Bring Out the Shovels!

Just one week ago, as the red mercury in the thermometers shot up past the 50 and 60 degree marks, spring fever was spreading throughout the town. The brown, dry grass looked as if it were taking a long, deep breath, rejoicing in it's freedom from the suffocating layer of heavy snow, which, except for a few piles of slushy mush, was completely gone. The birds sounded as if they were bursting with joy as they sang up in the trees. People all around Beaver were outside enjoying the weather but most were seen on River Road riding bikes, walking their dogs, jogging, or just taking a brisk stroll. Everyone had been infected, and there was no cure for this disease.

For those couple of days, I was wearing shorts. Less than a week later, I was wearing hat, gloves, and snow pants.

 Just when we had all truly believed that spring was coming like the groundhog had said, winter came flying back like a slap in the face. It was Monday, and the weather forcasters were only predicting some freezing rain and sleet for that evening. That was a mistake. By mid-afternoon fluffy white snow was falling...... and sticking. The shovels were brought back out from the garage and my dad sent my brother and I out to clear the front walk at about 6:30pm, when at least 3 inches already covered the ground . The faster I shoveled, the faster the snow fell and by the time I was done, a fresh dusting of snow had already accumulated on the sidewalk.

The next morning, the world was completely white. Overnight, a total of seven inches had been dumped on the same town which had been basking in the warmth of spring only days earlier.

At first, I was disappointed. Winter will never end! I thought. But soon I was enjoying the snow as I always do. I went outside with the other neighborhood kids and we worked for hours building an igloo and later, a snow man.

The temperature is creeping back up into the 40's and it looks like we're headed for another loooong, slow, thaw. For now, we're stuck with winter again. But while its here I'll try to enjoy it, for the real spring will be back before long.



Have you always wanted to build an igloo? You should! It sounds like it would be hard, but actually, if you have enough people to help, it isn't. Here's how:


1. Take some shovels and mound up a huge pile of snow


2. As you're piling, use a squirt bottle to spray water onto the loose bits of snow make it frozen so that it stays packed into place


3. After your pile is big (it has to be BIG if you want people to fit inside) trace out a doorway and start chipping and digging out a hole that will be the room. Remember to spray the roof and walls as you're digging so that the whole thing does not cave in on top of you!


4. Contiue to thicken the outside igloo walls as needed so that when carving your room, your shovel does not break through and puncture the whole thing


5. Carve the room to your desired size while scraping out all excess snow


6. Put on finishing touches and have fun!