Jim and the girls and I have attended the same church for many years, so it’s the go-to place for Easter and other Christian holidays (as well as most Sundays in between). Easter Sunday usually means lots of pink, yellow and purple outfits will be in display, worn by little girls in frilly finery, moms and grandmas donning Easter bonnets. Even Dads and Grandpas sheepishly sport pastel shirts and ties, succumbing to threats subtle pressure from their wives.
That’s what we usually see at Easter service.
At yesterday’s Easter service, there was no sea of pastel, no Easter bonnets. It didn’t seem that many of the outfits were even new. In fact, lots of folks were wearing worn jeans or khakis — fairly typical of a regular Sunday, but not Easter, the Sunday of all Sundays.
It was odd. And a little sad. It underscored the fact that new Easter outfits weren’t in the cards for most folks this year, not just my family. Despite the optimism sparked by recent unemployment numbers, it seems economic recovery has yet to become reality, at least to the degree that we all felt new outfits were a priority.
I know, I know. New Easter outfits aren’t really all that important. We all still sang just as loudly, still exchanged customary Easter greetings, and appreciated the trumpets, Easter lilies and C & E crowd not typical of regular Sunday services.
But like so many other traditions of Easter that have fallen by the wayside, traditions I wrote about here, I missed the pastels, the bonnets, the little girls twirling in their fancy dresses and white patent leather shoes.
Easter just didn’t seem as Easter-y as usual.
If nothing else, though, I keep telling myself — and this is the optimist in me struggling to keep its head above water — at least I didn’t stick out like sore thumb this year. As I worshiped in my dark clothing, I fit right in, I looked much like everyone else. This year it didn’t matter that I prefer basic black (dark gray this time, to be exact) to frilly fuchsia, Pepto-Bismol pink or buttercup yellow.
Worthy of a hallelujah? Probably not. But the way things have been of late, I’m taking comfort where I can get it.
And I’m thinking that — if our financial picture gets a little rosier in the next year — I just might buy a rose-colored outfit to match, for next year’s Easter service. In honor of things looking better, I think that maybe, I just might be able to do pastel.
And a bonnet? No bonnet for me, thank you very much. I truly cannot do that. Nope, no matter how sunny things get, you won’t catch me in a bonnet — for Easter or otherwise. Pink I can consider doing. A bonnet? No way!
And to that I can give a hearty “Hallelujah!”
Plus an adamant “Amen!”
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p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
thank you so much Lisa, that helps a lot. I know he tried to blame me for so much stuff, but like I told all of his family and mine none of that added up to a divorce. I do realize it's his needs, it just hurts so bad to think how many years he's
i love to wear a hat to go to church in……and……a hat means nice going to church clothes……now there are several others who wear hats. and it so nice to see. i get such delightful comments about my hats….and it puts a smile on ones face….i just love it….
i took one hat, and went out and bought beautiful spring flowers, cut them apart and made a spring hat using super glue……try it, you may like it..
I think the trend in “church clothes” gets more and more casual every year. I did see some very bright colors at our Sunday service, but I was half and half. I had on a light purple “spring-y” sweater with faded black lose fit jeans. I just couldn’t muster up the energy to don anything more dressy. There were several others in the congregation that must have felt the same way. Not sure if it is a financial issue or just that we are all changing.
It is nice to see everyone so pretty, but God sees us every day in the grubbiest of things, so I don’t think he cares as long as we go!
When my granddaughter and I went shopping on Saturday, I was happy to find her a beautiful pastel flowered dress with a full skirt, like the kind my daughters wore many years ago. A little girl’s dress! What bothers me is that most of the young girl’s clothes now are minature replicas of their teenage sister’s clothes. My daughter-in-law and I both think that a 6 year old should wear clothes appropriate for that age. I did notice that every Easter dress was on sale 50% off which I greatly appreciated. I think, this year… it is a combination of dress getting more casual and folks watching their budgets.
I am not sure if it wasn’t because it was cold and rainy on Sunday for the fact that I didn’t see many summer dresses and straw hats. I even wore slacks and a light sweater myself instead of a dress, because the wind was blowing so hard. There were lots of coats, probably covering up any sign of Easter clothes. Quite a change for a California Easter. The egg hunts had to be held inside. There wasn’t much standing around outside after the service. I am looking forward to having spring come back to us! =]