The traditions of Easter
For about six years now, most of my family from Jersey have come over to Guernsey for the Easter weekend and it's the one time of the year where both sides would get together to see one another without fail.
Here's how a typical Easter weekend would go.
For the Guernsey side, life pretty much continues as normal. We do as we would normally, whether that be going to the gym, working, seeing friends, and so on. The Jersey side, however, take a trip into town; the girls and the kids go shopping and the men go for a quick shop and a drink in a pub. They also go to one of Guernsey's better toy shops, Aladdin's Cave.
Saumarez Park is the islands most family friendly park. It offers both muddy and tarmacked paths, ponds, play areas and a café which has a chalk room and a bouncy castle during the warmer months. Only last year a pirate ship was built in the play area. My little cousins love it at Saumarez Park, even more so now with the pirate ship, so every year my Gran and I venture down to the park with the Jersey lot. We play on the pirate ship, take a lap around the park and then go for an ice cream in the café.
Easter Sunday is, of course, the 'main event', as such. For us, its like our Christmas, minus the tree and presents. Every year has been the same. The whole family - all the Jersey's and all of the Guernsey's - gather at The Longfrie restaurant (which, funnily enough, is just around the corner from where I'm currently living). We head there for 12, ready to order by half 12, eat at 1 ish and ready for the Easter Egg hunt in their outside area. For every boiled egg you find in the garden, you trade it in for a crème egg. While they set up for the egg hunt, a raffle is called. They aim to call at least one raffle strip from each table; if your number/strip is called, you go up and choose your chocolate Easter egg.
Of course, the raffle and the Easter Egg hunt are both aimed at the children. They also have an inside play area; a ball pit, a see-saw, swinging buoy, slide, plush seats, and a 'dark area'. My cousins love it in there and always take me in to play before our food arrives. And after we've eaten!
After all the fun of eating, playing, the raffle and the egg hunt, my Gran usually has the Jersey's and myself round for a drink.
For me, it's the tradition, the familiarity, that I like the most. The fact that the last 6 or so Easter's have always stuck to the same schedule. I love the fact that it's the only time of year where the whole family will get together to celebrate a public holiday. Granted, it's not the holiday that most families spend together as one, but it's the one that my family have spent together for what seems like forever to me. Unfortunately, I think this will be our last Easter all together. My younger cousins are getting older now and the parents feel they may be getting too old to enjoy their trip over as much they have done in past years.
What are your plans for the Easter weekend? Do you have any Easter traditions?
Charlotte.
Here's how a typical Easter weekend would go.
For the Guernsey side, life pretty much continues as normal. We do as we would normally, whether that be going to the gym, working, seeing friends, and so on. The Jersey side, however, take a trip into town; the girls and the kids go shopping and the men go for a quick shop and a drink in a pub. They also go to one of Guernsey's better toy shops, Aladdin's Cave.
Saumarez Park is the islands most family friendly park. It offers both muddy and tarmacked paths, ponds, play areas and a café which has a chalk room and a bouncy castle during the warmer months. Only last year a pirate ship was built in the play area. My little cousins love it at Saumarez Park, even more so now with the pirate ship, so every year my Gran and I venture down to the park with the Jersey lot. We play on the pirate ship, take a lap around the park and then go for an ice cream in the café.
Easter Sunday is, of course, the 'main event', as such. For us, its like our Christmas, minus the tree and presents. Every year has been the same. The whole family - all the Jersey's and all of the Guernsey's - gather at The Longfrie restaurant (which, funnily enough, is just around the corner from where I'm currently living). We head there for 12, ready to order by half 12, eat at 1 ish and ready for the Easter Egg hunt in their outside area. For every boiled egg you find in the garden, you trade it in for a crème egg. While they set up for the egg hunt, a raffle is called. They aim to call at least one raffle strip from each table; if your number/strip is called, you go up and choose your chocolate Easter egg.
Of course, the raffle and the Easter Egg hunt are both aimed at the children. They also have an inside play area; a ball pit, a see-saw, swinging buoy, slide, plush seats, and a 'dark area'. My cousins love it in there and always take me in to play before our food arrives. And after we've eaten!
After all the fun of eating, playing, the raffle and the egg hunt, my Gran usually has the Jersey's and myself round for a drink.
For me, it's the tradition, the familiarity, that I like the most. The fact that the last 6 or so Easter's have always stuck to the same schedule. I love the fact that it's the only time of year where the whole family will get together to celebrate a public holiday. Granted, it's not the holiday that most families spend together as one, but it's the one that my family have spent together for what seems like forever to me. Unfortunately, I think this will be our last Easter all together. My younger cousins are getting older now and the parents feel they may be getting too old to enjoy their trip over as much they have done in past years.
What are your plans for the Easter weekend? Do you have any Easter traditions?
Charlotte.
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