By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Sunday is Easter, a Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus and the “rebirth” of spring.
The exact origins of the Easter bunny, however, are clouded in mystery. One theory is that the rabbit symbol symbolizes fertility.
Then why the egg?
Eggs are also representative of new life and it is believed that decorating eggs for Easter dates back to the 13th century. According to History.com, in the 19th century Russian high society started exchanging ornately decorated and even jeweled eggs on Easter.
History.com also theorizes that the “floppy-eared bearer of candy came over to America with German immigrants. Their children made nests for this creature to lay “colored eggs.”
The custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other candies and gifts. Decorated baskets replaced the nests.
Celebrating the day before Easter, Clare and Farwell have begun a new tradition – Eggstravaganza’s.
In Clare that is a EGGstravaganza Egg Drop when hundreds of plastic Eggs are dropped at the Clare Municipal Airport from planes and youngsters collecting them can trade them for candy and prizes.
Farwell’s Eggstravaganza will be a more traditional egg hunt for various ages.
Youngsters from both communities and the surrounding areas are in for a treat tomorrow. The events in both communities will be held Saturday, April 8th to celebrate the Easter Holiday.
Clare’s EGGStravaganza begins with registration from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. The event will also feature the arrival of the Easter Bunny by plane to the Clare Municipal Airport at the corner of Eberhart and Washington Roads, followed by three plastic egg drops, each according to age. Plan to arrive early enough to allow time to park, register and be ready for your drop 15 minutes before the scheduled drop time. The entrance will be from Washington Road, then follow the signs. For the egg drop, Pilots from the Clare Pilots Association will be flying over the airport to drop over 1,800 plastic eggs, which can be recycled for candy by youngsters under the age of 12!
Three drops will be held: at 10:30 am for Ages 0-4; 10:45 for youngsters from age 5 to 8 years old; and at 11 am for kids ages 9 to 12. Children must be registered to participate. The 0-4 group must have a parent with them on the field when the drop takes place.
If there is inclement weather, an egg hunt will be held on the ground. Children’s activities are planned before and after the egg drops.
Parents are urged to “dress your children warmly and bring a basket or something to put the eggs into as they are collected.
Farwell’s Easter Eggstravagaza wall also takes place on Saturday, but the event in the Farwell Village Park begins at 11 a.m. with an Easter Egg Hunt for kids ages 0-12.
The egg hunt will be split into age groups with three separate locations according to age. Ages will be 0-4 at 11:15; 5-8 at 11:30 and 8-12 at 11:45 am.
There will be thousands of eggs to find and youngsters can meet the Easter Bunny who will be available for pictures. Live bunnies will be there too. There will be games, prizes and more and there will also be hot chocolate, donuts and popcorn. The event will last until approximately 1 pm.