Holiday Tradition
Easter Confetti Eggs
Every year, a few months before Easter, Antonio and his family start saving up eggs. They crack the tops and make a nickel-sized hole through which they drain the egg, leaving the shell intact. After rinsing them out and letting them dry, they are ready to be dyed.
They dye and decorate the shells and then fill them up with confetti, after which the glue shut the hole. On Easter, they hide the eggs so the kids of the family can go on Easter egg hunts. When the eggs are found, the discoverer finds a victim and cracks an egg on his or her head. The result is confettieverywhere.
Especially cruel Easter-eggers will fill their eggs with glitter, which leaves residue over everything for weeks and sometimes months. Antonio finds this tradition fun and familiar, since he has been doing it for as long as he can remember.
This Easter egg tradition differs from what I am used to. The Easter eggs I used to hunt were plastic and filled with candy. I like how it combines the creativity of egg decorating with the thrill of the hunt and a humorous finale.
Today, Easter is just like all other commercial holidays. My family usually goes on a shopping spree for plastic eggs, chocolate bunnies, and bags of candy or marshmallow Peeps. After my sister and I opened these gifts, Easter was as good as done.
Antonios cost-effective, creative tradition brings the whole family together for months ahead of time in a group effort to prepare for Easter. When the day comes, they spend hours together searching for eggs and smashing them over each others heads, which undoubtedly keeps them talking for days. When a holiday like Easter starts to lose its original purpose, it should at least retain its sense of family unity and cheerfulness.