Follow the trail

Growing up, on Easter Sunday the Easter Bunny left our eggs at the end of the bed. I was very happy with the arrangement. Well I was, until I read somewhere that in some households, the Easter Bunny put on a far more elaborate Easter experience. I'd read that he left a piece of string for you to follow to find your chocolate treasure. I envisaged the fun that those other families had, all laughing and squealing as they went on the great chocolate hunt.

When I lodged a formal protest with my mother, she raised an eyebrow and explained that by age 11, really no one was under the illusion that I was still a believer. It was over. The jig was up.

I was completely thrown. How did they know that I knew? I'd kept up the facade so well, something every youngest child understands. You hear the whispers "do you think she still believes" and you take note as the older sibling gets scolded every time they attempt to let the cat out of the bag "you know he's not...." your sister quickly gets cut off "that will be enough" a stern voice from a parent. In one way, as the youngest, you almost feel it's your duty to keep up the act, you truly believe that it's up to you to keep the magic alive.

When I woke the following Easter Sunday, I found a piece of red string at the end of my bed, it was making it's way out the door, begging to be followed.

She'd done it.

As I followed the string through the house, my mother watched from a distance, she was giggling, she looked slightly bewildered but highly amused at the thrill I was getting from the experience.

I love my Mum.

The Easter Bunny has managed to find us all over the world. It's a similar routine, he started with string and then moved to a "follow the trail" concept, I have no idea why he changed the process as string is much cheaper than small chocolate eggs.

The Little Travelers have followed the trail in homes in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Tripoli, Calgary, Houston and now Doha. The treasure has been found in temperatures that range from minus ten to plus forty. The Bunny has narrowly avoided disaster, one year he left the eggs in the oven which would have been a great hiding spot if G hadn't turned on the oven to warm up the hot cross buns.

The Bunny had to hide the eggs up very high the first year we had he Beagle, the Bunny now locks the Beagle in the spare room and thanks her with a small egg upon her release. This morning The Little Travelers woke up to find the Bunny had been in their rooms, the trail made its way down the stairs and the stash was found.......









Do you have similar traditions for your holidays?