It is the highlight of the Spring, Easter.  Here in San Angelo, we have many rich Easter traditions.  Here are some of our favorite Easter Traditions here in San Angelo.

1. The Easter Bunny: Where did the tradition of the Easter Bunny come from? The Easter Bunny never appeared in the Bible. Christians observe Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox. Before Christianity, there was a pagan holiday that also fell around the same time. This festival was for the fertility goddess, Eastre. That is very similar to “Easter.” The hare, along with the egg, symbolized the fertility goddess. Voila. Christianity appropriated an already well-celebrated holiday.  This happened with a lot of traditions around the world appropriated by Christianity.

Chocolate Easter Bunny in a Basket with Assorted Candy
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2. Easter Egg Coloring: Coloring Easter eggs is a popular tradition in West Texas. Here with our environment's brown and gold color, coloring our eggs in earth tones makes it harder to find them.  Most prefer brightly colored eggs, which have become the accepted norm.  Where did the tradition of the Easter egg come from?  An early Christian story often repeated is that Mary Magdalene somehow managed to attend a banquet with Emporer Tiberius Caesar. While she was holding a white egg in her hand, she proclaimed to the skeptical Emporer, “Christ is risen!”  With that, the emperor laughed and said, “The idea that your Christ has risen from the dead is about as likely as that egg in your hand turning red.” With that, the egg turned red.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
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3. Easter Egg Hunts: Besides eating our beautiful Easter Egg creations, there wouldn’t be a lot of ways to enjoy them. Thus, The Easter Egg hunt was invented.  As a child, we often hid Easter eggs, sometimes a little too well.  It was not uncommon for us to find them months later by their smell.  Easter Egg hunts are a San Angelo tradition.  There are two coming up on Saturday.

 

Photo by Frank Zhang on Unsplash
Photo by Frank Zhang on Unsplash
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4. Easter Ham: In most areas of the country, ham is the staple food for Easter.  The H-E-B website has some other popular Texas options.  No one knows Texas eating habits like H-E-B.  Along with the Easy Pineapple Pecan Glazed Ham, H-E-B recommends Sweet and Spicy Glazed Brisket, Raspberry Chipotle Pork with Roasted Potatoes, Crab and Shrimp Bread, and several others.  For me, it’s ham and deviled eggs.  The rest depends on the mood.

Homemade Glazed Easter Spiral Cut Ham with Carrots and Potatoes
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5. Sunrise Service. The miraculous rise of Christ, three days after his resurrection is often celebrated by churches with Sonrise services.  As the sun rises, so did the risen Christ.  Commemorating this miracle, churches invite their congregation to worship as the sun rises, have communion and enjoy scripture reading.

Photo by Tucker Good on Unsplash
Photo by Tucker Good on Unsplash
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6. The Ozona Cross

The First United Methodist Church has an inspiring Easter tradition in the nearby town of Ozona.  The church takes the centerpiece of a wooden cross.  On Good Friday, the cross, which is made from the trunk of a Christmas tree, stands bare, a symbol of death and defeat.  At the Easter Service's beginning, congregation members decorate the cross with flowers as the opening hymn is sung.  The barren symbol of death is then transformed into a beautiful symbol of the resurrection.  This incredible Easter tradition is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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7. Baby Animals: As the Palmer Feed and Supply staff will tell you, Spring is when many baby animals come into the world.  There are bunnies, chicks, ducks, and turkeys.  This is the one time of the year when many farmers replenish herds and flocks.  There is no better time to enjoy baby animals than Easter.

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash
Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash
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8. Easter Bonnets:  Easter bonnets used to be a big fashion accessory. Women in the Concho Valley would work on just the right look all year.  In recent years, the Easter bonnet is making a comeback, thanks to the profusion of photos on Pinterest, not to mention the many "How To" videos on YouTube.  With traditional gender roles relaxing, men are also getting into the act.  The Easter Bonnet is a fun fashion accessory in San Angelo and a full-fledged Easter tradition.

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9. Easter Outfits: Even in challenging times, the Easter Outfit was a family tradition.  Parents who could often only afford one pair of shoes per year, per child would save up diligently to buy a new outfit for their children to wear to Sunday Easter services.  Today, Easter Outfits are still a San Angelo Easter tradition, where today's kids hear the stories of Easter outfits of yore from elders who remember the days when a new pair of "Easter Shoes" and a new shirt were a very special treat.

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash
Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash
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Did we miss any popular San Angelo Easter Traditions?  Let us know on the app or on our Facebook page. Happy Easter.

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