Holy Week

What traditions are special to you during this time of the year?   Christians throughout the world are celebrating and remembering Holy Week this week.  It begins with Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday.  

It has always been fascinating for me to hear about individual and family traditions that occur yearly.  Lent, Tenebrae, Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, fasting and other traditions and terms common to others, were mostly unknown to me growing up.  With the exception of our yearly Easter Cantata, which generally occurred the Sunday before Easter, our family’s focus was on the celebration of Easter Sunday.  To me, as a child, this meant a new dress, hat and white gloves!  It also meant chocolate marshmallow bunnies, malted Easter eggs, Easter baskets, Sunrise services, inspirational and celebratory worship services, lunch at my Grandparent’s house and a big Easter Egg Hunt with my cousins.  Other than dressing up, it was a simple and joyful time of celebration. 

Shortly after getting married, I remember hearing the terms Lent and Maundy Thursday.  My husband explained these terms to me because they were part of his family traditions.  Since that time, I’ve come to appreciate many different traditions.  One thing still puzzles me though, why is the day Jesus was crucified called “Good Friday?”    

What traditions, celebrations and remembrances are special to you this season?  By the way, I was quite proud of that little pocket book and my hat!  My older sister thought she was pretty special too!