Looking back at Celebrating Easter - Polish Style!

A few weeks ago we asked our readers, as well as our customers with of our business The Polish Farmers, for their favorite Easter Memories. Unfortunately, we didn't get much of a response. My favorite Easter memories not only include exploring the Easter basket I received from my parents, but the basket I received annually from my grandmother, Stella (Zwolinski) Schalata. While her annual basket was quite predictable, it was something I looked forward to receiving. She carefully chose the right items that were to make up the basket. The normal line-up of Easter goodies included: a large hollow chocolate egg filled with Hershey kisses, a coconut filled egg, the standard marshmallow peeps, a large molded chocolate bunny, and assortment of jelly beans, and of course a couple of dyed hard-boiled eggs. Naturally, my sister and I always had a new outfit and shoes for church on Easter Sunday. My father, usually made his famous kielbasi scrambled in eggs for breakfast. Easter dinner always had a large baked ham that my mom made. Traditionally, in a Polish Catholic Church, an Easter Sunrise Mass is celebrated. There is a procession with the priest, and other members of the parish that circles the inside of the church. The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus is celebrated in a grand way. Naturally, Holy Week involves several religious traditions comprising of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. In our family, my father made it a tradition to visit various churches in our hometown on Holy Thursday. We would visit other Catholic parishes, not just our own. I am not sure why, but that was my father's own tradition. From Palm Sunday to Stations of the Cross, and Easter Egg Hunts, the Easter Season is filled with wonderful traditions that remind us of the importance of our religious beliefs. If you have memories you'd like to share, it's not too late. We'd still like to hear from you. If we publish your story we will still send a gift certificate for the best entry we receive. The gift certificate will be good for some of our great products offered by The Polish Farmers. Email your entry to: tom@thepolishfarmers.com. Thanks, and best wishes for a Joyous Easter and a Happy Spring! Tom & Donna Schalata