Easter egg craft and history

Easter marks the start of spring and is a sacred holiday for Christians throughout the world as it signifies when Jesus Christ was resurrected. But where did the Easter bunny and eggs fit into the Easter tradition?

We can thank the Germans for the American tradition of Easter baskets and for the idea of coloring and hiding Easter eggs. German immigrants brought this tradition to America in the later 19th century. German children found hidden eggs in their shoes and in baskets.

EGG SAFETY TIPS

Decorated eggs are a fun part of Easter for many families but they can also harbor bacteria if they are not cooked properly and hidden safely during Easter egg hunts. Parents can help their children have a safe Easter egg experience by following these five guidelines, set forth by the American Egg Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

1) Never eat decorated Easter eggs if they have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours - even if they have been hard-boiled!

2) Always check eggs for cracks before buying them. Even small breaks in the outer eggshell can allow bacteria to enter.

3) Parents should make sure that they are hiding eggs in safe places where the porous egg shells will not come into contact with pets, lawn chemicals, fertilizer, insects, birds or other animals that are potential sources for bacteria.

4) Boiled eggs should be thoroughly cooked (Boiled 12 - 15 minutes) and then immersed in cool water to stop the cooking process. This method will make the shell easy to remove and keep the dark circles from forming around the yolk. To tell if an egg is still fresh prior to cooking, you can put the egg in a pan of cold water and watch to see if it turns. If the egg lies on its side, it is still fresh. If it tilts it would be about 3-4 days old. However, if the egg stands upright it may be up to 10 days old but still edible. If the egg floats on the top of the water it needs to be discarded.

5) You can store eggs up to one month if they are raw but hard boiled eggs for no longer than one week. Eggs will stay fresh longer if they are stored in the refrigerator covered and will help them not to absorb odors through the shell.

DECORATING EGGS

Decorating eggs is not just a popular activity in the United States. Many different cultures worldwide decorate eggs and tend to use a wide variety of materials. Although Easter eggs are primarily dyed in the United States for Easter egg hunts you can use crayons, felt-tipped pens or paint to embellish an eggshell. Children also enjoy gluing items to the shell like seeds, beads, glitter, lace, dried pasta shapes, sequins, ribbons or buttons.

It is easier to decorate hard-boiled eggs because they are stronger than an empty shell. However, boiled eggs will spoil whereas emptied eggshells can keep indefinitely if they do not crack.

Wash the egg using water warmer than the egg. Dry the egg. With a sterilized long needle or small, sharp skewer, prick a small hole in the small end of the egg. Prick a large hole in the large end. Carefully chip away bits of shell around the large hole until it’s big enough to fit the tip of a kitchen baster. Stick the needle or skewer into the yolk to break it.

Shake the egg large-end down over a cup or bowl until the insides come out. OR, use a baster to push out the contents. Press the bulb of the baster to push air into the egg. Let the contents fall into the cup. If the insides don’t come out easily, stick the needle in again. Move it around to be sure both the shell membranes and the yolk are broken. Rinse the empty shell under cool running water. Stand the shell on end in a drainer to dry. You can cover up the holes with melted wax, glue an embellishment over the hole or even use tissue paper and papier-mache glue.

Decorated Easter egg shells are a fun way to decorate a Christmas tree or hang them on a twisted wire tree planted in a container with grass for a fun centerpiece. They can also be balanced on the top of a decorative bottle.

There are many different alternative ways to dye an egg from using other foods and spices to color the eggs as well as commercial applications. Generally Easter egg kits are offered with a food coloring based dye. To create layers of color on your egg start by dipping the egg into a light color first. Next dip the egg into one or more darker colors. Create a two-toned egg by holding the egg in an egg holder or balancing it on a spoon. Dip one half of the egg into the dye and then carefully lift it out and let it dry before dying the other end. If you let the dye cover the center each time, the middle of the egg will be a third color, a combination of the two colors you used.

If your egg is not accepting the dye or paint well you may be using uncooked eggs that have an oil coating on their shells. Even cooked eggs can pick up oil from your hands. By pre-wiping the egg shell with white vinegar it will remove the oil and more readily accept the paint and dyes.

EASTER EGG HUNTS

A traditional Easter Egg Hunt can be a fun experience for children to enjoy but don’t be surprised if leaving candy up for grabs causes some contention. Parents can make the hunt more enjoyable for all ages by trying some creative hunt ideas like the ones listed below.

ASSIGN COLORED RIBBONS

If your children are varied in age, try hiding their eggs, candy and other loot according to their ability to find it. For example, I assign each child a different color with the instructions that even if they find loot tied with a colored ribbon that is not their color it belongs to someone else - keep searching. By color coordinating the Easter egg hunt I can alter the degree of difficulty per child. It’s also a fun way to teach younger children their colors!

A CHALLENGING HUNT

Avoiding contention can be as easy as keeping the whole family involved and busy in the activity - regardless of age. I believe that you are never too old to participate in an Easter egg hunt. To make the hunt a real challenge for the whole family consider holding the hunt in a location the kids are unfamiliar with. Our family had Easter picnics in the mountains, lakeside and even at the sand dunes. The older kids were given a 1/2-mile radius where the goodies might be hidden. Mom would always count the amount of treats so she could send us back out to find the renegade eggs we missed. It was not unusual to find left over Easter candy at our Forth of July picnic though.

AVOID THE SUGAR HIGH

Eating a ton of candy in one sitting is not healthy for kids and can be especially damaging to their teeth - not to mention the hyper activity it can cause in some children. Letting the kids choose a few pieces of candy per day is one option but I like to suggest letting the Easter bunny deliver alternative items. Easter is the perfect time for the Easter bunny to give new spring sandals, Easter outfits, new school supplies, games or small toys and they are just as much fun to hide and seek!

Adults can also enjoy an Easter garden party during the hunt for the children. Invite friends to bring perennials from their gardens to exchange with other plants. Provide each guest with labels, paper bags or plastic nursery containers. Let them take home the same amount of plants that they brought getting an affordable start on beautiful blooms.