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| Easter basket postcard, circa 1900 |
Long before Christianity celebrated Easter, and with it the spring
equinox, it was a pagan celebration in almost every culture. As Christianity
moved from the east to the west, it was easier for the church to rearrange
their calendar to fit traditions that might date back a thousand years than to
force new religious traditions and beliefs on a resistant populace.
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| Postcards! The perfect Easter collectible. This one with the rabbit and his eggs. |
Originally a celebration of the equinox, signaling a
new beginning to the year of growing things and the end of winter, the holiday became what
we now celebrate as Easter.
Baskets would have been used to
transport offerings from one place to another, or to shared meals, or just as a
means of moving goods. wicker and grass baskets are after all lightweight and easier to carry
and make than either clay or wood.
They resemble nests in their shape and they are
made of the same material as a bird's nest. What could be more natural than putting eggs in them
as a logical vehicle to celebrate season and shape together.
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| Antique German Easter card |
Eggs were often given
up for Lent so bringing them back to the table was cause for celebration and
special presentations like decorating them-which can be traced back as early as
the 13th century.
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| A Russian Happy Easter postcard |
By the 1700s Germans had embraced both the basket and the eggs.
The Easter rabbit, a sign of spring and fertility had come into being and was
carried to America by the Pennsylvania Dutch. From there the Easter basket multiplied—like
rabbits—and the baskets from their humble beginnings are now filled with
anything that one can imagine.
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A French spring card with a charming little girl
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Although a lot of Easter collectibles have skyrocketed in price, like old eggs and rabbits, postcards are still a wonderful affordable way to celebrate. You can find them in every price point so hop on down the bunny trail and find a few!
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