Easter in England

Easter's a big deal around here. They even make the days surrounding Easter "bank holidays" (federal holidays), so Easter lasts from Friday through Monday.

It all starts with the Palm Sunday procession, where the community processes around the town carrying palm fronds and singing hymns before they go into church. In Kenilworth, the procession was led by Jenny the Donkey, who was certainly cute but seemed impervious. This is the beginning of Holy Week.

In the buildup to Easter Sunday it's all about the bonnet. Craft stores become Mecca as everyone concocts master plans for an easter bonnet that expresses personal style, taste, and the flamboyance of Spring. I like it when they have bunny ears.

They don't dye eggs here (weirdoes)! Instead the shops are crammed with every possible size, shape and flavor of chocolate egg, and this is what children dream about for Easter morning.

Want one? I'll take the monster on the right.

Or if you're not a chocolate person you'd probably enjoy a nice hot cross bun, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. They are scrumptious, spiced buns with currants. try them!

Then there's the Easter Sunday lunch, which is a pretty big deal. Legs of lamb and pork roasts are crowding the shops like turkeys do in America at Thanksgiving. But besides food, there are easter egg hunts. The church across the street hosts one directly after services on Easter morning.  The children race around the churchyard in their happy bonnets, cheerily searching among the crooked ancient tombstones for their holiday delights. There's something so right about it. But now we're off to Prague to check out the Czech Easter, which I hear is a pretty big deal. Apparently they're hard core egg-decorators over there. So welcome Spring, and Happy Easter!