Easter 2022

[countessalmirena]

To all of the denizens of these boards,

I would like to wish you a happy Easter, and a safe time over this Easter period.

This will be the first time in two years that I'll be going to an Easter service. I've missed it - the sense of shared joy, the organ resounding, thin light illuminating the stained glass panels, the sharing of Easter wishes... and then back home to tear into the brightly foiled Easter eggs of Belgian chocolate.

I keep wanting to re-initiate an Easter egg hunt. I may set it up next year, cunningly hiding delicious Easter eggs in the back garden, and inviting neighbours and friends and family to take part. I also thought about honouring the Ukrainian tradition of писанка (beeswax-inscribed Easter eggs) for next year, not having had anywhere near enough time to do that this year.

Please share thoughts, wishes, jokes, anecdotes, anything at all to do with Easter.

I'll include some Easter emoticons that I made a few years ago, and some by other emoticon creators as well.

Happy Easter

              

                     

[countessalmirena]

It is a source of regret for me that we now have only recorded bells in churches (at least, here) rather than bell ringers and real bells.

Gabriel, Raphael, Michael, and the three others… well, these are among my favourite bell names.

[countessalmirena]

Because some of my family can’t (or won’t) have regular chocolate, I have my Easter egg buying routine down pat.

∙ Sugar-free chocolate eggs (dark and milk) for diabetic family member

∙ Dairy-free Easter eggs for lactose-intolerant family members who want not only to avoid lactose, but dairy entirely 

∙ Gluten-free Easter eggs for coeliac family members

∙ Dairy-free gluten-free (with no fruit filling etc) for coeliac lactose-intolerant fructose-intolerant family member 

∙ Belgian chocolate eggs for me, for best friend and other close friends

It used to be Ganache chocolatiers from whom I bought the Belgian chocolate eggs; this year Haigh’s (good but not as absolutely sinlessly sumptuously delicious as the Ganache ones) and Selene’s of Box Hill.

[springyzone]

Happy and safe Easter to everyone.

Just a warning about thoser small solid chocolate eggs. My 5 year old granddaughter nearly choked on one the other night. Gave my daughter a real scare, so be careful. I'd be inclined to cut them in half for small children. Like grapes.

Last year I bought my kids (adults) small decorative Easter plates. This year for my son, I went with a different plate and tea towel as he doesn't eat chocolate. Hard to believe he is my son, must have been switched at birth.

[domino-710]

A Very Happy Easter to all.

The boxes are really quite special Stawks - I love boxes and have a collection.

Seems brands are the go - forget the chocolate - never been much into it.

Yesterday's lunch - a few lobsters washed down with a gift I received a couple of years ago - I have been looking for an occasion to blow it.

Must admit pretty special.

[imastawka]

Wowee Dom!!

That's some celebration right there.

Sumboddy lubbed you lots to gift you that bubbly, that's for sure.

Funny thing about box collections - daughter has collected boxes for 30 odd years (and I do mean odd)

She has many strange and beautiful ones.

[papermoon.lady]

I think I have some problems too, Countess. I had some chocolate in the late afternoon yesterday and was sick all night. I do know that I have a problem with lactose, but in general chocolate does not make me so sick as milk. A pity because it is a beautiful day and I would have liked to go out...

Happy Easter, everyone!

[domino-710]

LOL - it was pretty special.

We should perhaps begin a [] thread - for all the collections. 

The Company is rather interesting - Churchill almost bankrupted himself - with the amount he drank daily.

It is not produced every year only when considered good enough.

They actually put a black band around the label for a year after Churchill died.

[imastawka]

Churchill drank champers every day?

I hope you kept the bottle to keep in that box....to show you actually had it.

We had a thread many years ago about collections.

The trouble is, being an old bric-a-brac/antique  B & M shop owner, back in the 80's, I collected too many things and my house and garage is chockers with all sorts of collections - and all packed away.

Daughter will have to sort it all when I'm dust.

[domino-710]

It’s hard to pin down exactly how much Churchill drank. One estimate placed his consumption of Pol Roger champagne at 42,000 bottles during his lifetime.

I've a bit of catching up to do. lol

[countessalmirena]

Ow...

I'm quite keen to try making my own Easter eggs, but making my own Belgian chocolate from scratch does seem challenging.

I don't doubt that it can be done. That would mean lactose-free and sugar-free and gluten-free and dairy-free options.

In the meantime, papermoon.lady, have you tried Nomo chocolate eggs? They are dairy-free... but I will admit I have not eaten them. I just buy them for family members.

I am ... well, a little sceptical about how closely dairy-free Easter eggs can approach the luxurious taste of Belgian chocolate Easter eggs (or even just good old chocolate Easter eggs). I have (accidentally) had a vegan chocolate coated ice-cream once, and it was so obviously not real chocolate. My initial reaction was "HORRIBLE!" but then I was expecting real chocolate. I suppose that people who absolutely cannot have dairy can eventually fool themselves into thinking the dairy-free alternative is just as good (or better), but I can't... I just can't.

Lactose-free milk is no problem; it tastes fine. Bonus: one can give it to one's cat as well.