This weekend begins Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We celebrate Passover rather than Easter. This is an unusual year in that Passover doesn’t fall right at the same time as Easter. I’ve talked before about our alternatives to Christmas, and I think this kind of falls along the same lines. When we first discussed all this before we married, I thought it would be hard for me to give up Easter, especially when we had children. But it hasn’t been, at all. I’ve just started to view things differently.

I find it important to observe Jesus’ death (and resurrection), and I’m glad that Passover affords me that opportunity. But all the other “stuff”; Egg Hunts, Easter Baskets, Easter Clothing, just doesn’t matter to me anymore. I guess that after I realized that all of those traditions don’t have anything to do with God and in fact have roots in Paganism, I’m fine with the kids “missing out” on it.

I say missing out, but really I don’t think they are. We’ve got a lot of fun things going on. Saturday night we will have a huge dinner hosted by Jim’s oldest sister. Eden and Honor will enjoy playing with their cousin Abbey. I always make up a bunch of (unleavened) treats, such as

chocolate spiders
chocolate oatmeal cookies
mexican wedding cookies
coconut macaroons.
I also make up some parchment bread, which is really yummy and crispy. Jim’s got a long list of snacks he likes to have around, so trust me, we’re not going to starve.

We don’t get into all the Jewish Kosher laws. Our thought process is that if the Bible says that it needs to be unleavened bread, then that’s good enough for me (since we’re not Jewish anyway.)

And I like to buy the kiddies a present! This year we got them a pop up play tent to use in the back yard. Last weekend we bought a gazebo for our back porch (I count it as an early Passover present to ourselves) so we’re outside ALL the time.

(click here for the full sized photo.)

I think I’m going to go eat a doughnut before it’s too late….