Spring is in the air and kids everywhere are giddy with the anticipated arrival of the Easter Bunny. With Easter nearly upon us, it's time to thoughtfully prepare for the ever popular Easter egg hunt.
The egg has long since been a simple of renewal. The origin of the Easter egg dates back to the Middle Ages. Upon noticing the fertility of bunnies, the early Europeans would encourage their children to make nests for the bunnies in hope that they would leave eggs for them on Easter morning.
The earliest version of these eggs show them hand decorated and painted, some of them quite intricately, with more modern versions arriving in chocolate or brightly colored egg-shaped polymer capsules containing jelly beans and other small treats.
The Victorians took the Easter nest to a whole new level by putting it in a basket and bringing it indoors, hence, the birth of the Easter basket. And of course, modern Americans have gone completely over the edge by creating baskets that contain nary an egg but are filled to the brim with basketballs, video games and hula hoops, clearly something no bunny could ever "lay."
Nowadays, there are community Easter egg hunts to engage children in a wholesome weekend activity, unless bad parental behavior has forced the event to be cancelled. Of course, this doesn't even begin to touch on how, for some kids, the only thing scarier than poorly behaved parents is the specter of the Easter Bunny himself.
I happen to enjoy decorating Easter eggs and have experimented with some fun techniques like batik (painting on melted wax), and even blowing out the insides through a small hole poked in a raw egg to create a permanent work of egg art that won't spoil.
One of the easiest and modern ways to decorate your Easter eggs can be found in your home office. With some clip art, some creativity, a package of "tattoo paper" and a laser printer, you will be in business in no time, creating personalized and unique creations. The paper can be a challenge to find but can be ordered online.
You can also buy pre-printed packages of your favorite temporary tattoos and apply to your eggs for creative flair.
In addition, if you can't find the tattoo paper, you can use ink jet adhesive paper to create your own stickers for egg application.
Happy creating and Happy Easter!
