Why do you celebrate Easter? Is it for the chocolate eggs? Is it for the time off work you get? Do you know why we have Easter at all?

Me, i do it to celebrate that we are one step closer to summer and the coming of spring. And today has truly been one of the first REAL days of spring. A pleasent +14 and a sparkling sun, birds going crazy singing to their hearts content. And people sitting around in the park, which is still not so green, but still, sitting there indulging the warmth and the sun. Catching a few rays on that pale winter skin. And trying to forget it actually snowed this time last week.

And in order to celebrate the coming of spring (and easter of course) we swedes take twigs of birch, bring them inside and put multicoloured feathers on them and hang decorated eggs on them and call it Pĺskris. A little known fact is that in the olden days they used said bunch of twigs to wack all your old sins out (so there would be room for new ones no doubt). Dont know where the feathers came from but eggs are an old fertility symbol so naturally you hang them on the twigs, but only after you've blown all the content out and painted them in bright colours. Have you ever tried to empty an egg without smashing the shell? It is damn close to impossible! But with a little bit of help from your old cellotape it can be done.

This is our bunch of twigs, quite muted in colour compared to what i've seen.
Notice the ickle yellow ducks with colorful hats hanging in there, my mums choice of course because what is an Easter without ducks... ;o)