Easter Symbols {An Easter Basket for the Whole Family}

For the past few years, in addition to to our children's individual Easter Baskets, I've assembled a basket for the whole family.   The first two years the basket included items for some of our Garden of the Good Shepherd Activities and Garden Parties that we were planning on having during the Easter season.  

Last year I focused on the various Easter Symbols, in addition to the Easter Symbol Candies I made for each child's individual basket.  The basket for the whole family included a Good Shepherd Puzzle for the Easter Season, a Ukrainian Egg Decorating Kit, Egg Shaped Flower Truffles, Lindt Chocolate Lambs, an adorable Peacock, a Butterfly clip, a beautiful small statue of the Good Shepherd (this one, I think), and a Good Shepherd Holy Card.   Charlotte also made a beautiful little Easter Symbols Booklet that I included as well!  

I'm planning to fill another Family Basket with little gifts representing the Easter Symbols and thought I'd share a few of my ideas for this year, in addition to the Parable Pouch from Jesse Tree Treasures.


Cross:  The cross is perhaps the best known of all Christian symbols. In the ancient Church the cross was usually depicted without the figure of Christ. It was adorned and decorated as a symbol of the victory Christ won through His suffering. For the ancient world it was a symbol of humiliation, but for Christians it was a symbol of victory and glory. In Christian art, the figure of the suffering Christ was added to the cross only in medieval times. ~ Immaculate Conception Parish

As you all know, our family loves puzzles.  We haven't worked on one since Epiphany and, since we really enjoyed putting the Good Shepherd Puzzle together last Easter, I've been looking for another.   At this point I'm trying to decide between the I Am With You Cross Puzzle and this beautiful Easter Morning Jigsaw Puzzle (which, in addition to the cross, has the "IHS" and lilies on it as well).

A few more ideas:  Chocolate Crosses, a new Crucifix, really there are so many gifts that can symbolize the "Cross."





Lamb:  We refer to Christ as "The Lamb of God," and "The Paschal Lamb," because he was sent as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. We also lovingly refer to Him as "The Good Shepherd," since He is our Shepherd and told Peter to feed His sheep.

I have been trying to purchase the Joseph's Studio Good Shepherd Jesus Easter Egg Figure with Pedestal for two year's now. Both times I thought it was on it's way, it never did show up and my orders ended up being cancelled... after Easter. This year I was finally able to purchase it at Amazon!  It is even prettier than I thought it would be from the pictures.

A few more ideas:  Good Shepherd Puzzle, Good Shepherd Holy Cards (from here or here), Lamb Puppet, this little stuffed lamb is as precious as can be, Lamb Cookie Cutter, Lamb Chocolates, and (if you don't have one yet) a lamb butter mold!





Bread of Life:  Bread and Wine/Wheat and Grapes: Because of the bread and wine they produce, the symbols of wheat and grapes are often used to designate the Eucharist. Bread is the basic food of every culture and of every age in human history. Made from the toil of human hands, the many grains of wheat are transformed and become one to nourish and sustain us. A meal, in which bread is broken and shared, becomes a means of bonding human beings together. This is the sign Jesus used to describe Himself as the "Bread of Life." Following His command, in faith we take and eat this Bread, His Body, and become one with Him." From ancient times wine is associated with banquets, joy and celebration, a gift of God to gladden our hearts. The grapes, like the grains of wheat used for bread, are fruits of the earth and give of themselves in order that we might celebrate and be glad. This sign which Jesus used for His Blood, speaks to us of giving and of sacrifice in order that we might enjoy the benefits of His love in the banquet which is the foretaste of heavenly joy.  IHS: IHS stands for the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek.

For this symbol I decided to order one of the beautiful new Pysanky Bread Basket Liners from Catholic Embroidery.  I know it isn't embroidered with the IHS, but it does have the Greek letters for Christ: IC XC and Greek verb for triumph: NIKA.  (If you order this, or any of the Catholic Aprons, directly from this Catholic Cuisine page I will receive a commission.  Thank you!)  

A few more suggestions:  A Mass Tote embroidered with the IHS symbol would be another great alternative.  We love ours!  The Chalice Notepad from Saints Galore would be lovely as well!






Lily:  The lily represents purity, chastity, innocence, and St. Gabriel's trumpet, and is a symbol of Our Lady and used to depict the purity of the Saints, especially SS. Joseph, Francis, Clare, Anthony of Padua, and Catherine of Siena. In America, it has become, too, a symbol of the Resurrection. Legend says that lilies originated with Eve's tears when the first couple was banished from the Garden of Eden. Other legend says that they sprang up from the ground when drops of blood fell to the foot of the Cross. It is interesting that these two legends exist, because Christ, the New Adam, wipes away the tears of the children of Eve who became the children of Mary when Christ gave her to us, through John, from the Cross. Mary herself is symbolized also by another lily, lilium candidum, or the Madonna Lily. ~ Fisheaters

Every year I try and pick up an Easter Lily for our home right before Easter.   I hope to do the same this year.

I also purchased The Parable of the Lily for the children, to include in the basket for this symbol.   I haven't read it yet, but it looks like a sweet book and we have enjoyed the others in the series including The Legend of the Candy Cane.






Egg:  The egg is like Jesus’ tomb. It is enclosed, it is quiet, and it seems lifeless. Yet within an egg, the promise of new life is waiting to burst forth. Jesus’ tomb was like an egg until early on Easter when Jesus rose up to a new and glorious life. ~ Catechist.com

Nope, I just couldn't resist... I also ordered the All... "you know, that word you can't say until Easter" (as my kids are constantly saying) Egg!  I purchased mine over at ebay, and you can also find it here at the moment.

A few other ideas:  Egg Candies, Egg themed Easter Books (including the ones in this post under Easter Eggs), Egg Decorating Supplies, or maybe even some Hand-painted Pysanky Eggs.  Oh, and I am intrigued by this Butterfly Easter Egg Puzzleball and this Ravensburger Easter Puzzleball Lamb Jigsaw Puzzle.  Do any of you have either of those and what do you think?





Butterfly:  Butterflies are an apt symbol of the day's meaning. Beginning life as lowly humble caterpillars, they "entomb" themselves in cocoons only to emerge with jewel-colored wings and the ability to soar. What better symbol of the Resurrection -- except maybe for eggs, which had always been symbols of Spring and were items of wonderment to all -- an inanimate object out of which comes life. For Christians, they became the perfect symbol of the tomb Christ conquered. ~ Fisheaters

Don't you think my kids would just be thrilled to find this Spring Angel Egg as well?  She is holding a Butterfly after all!  ;)  Had I been able to find it at a better price I just might not have been able to resist... Maybe next year!

Anyhow, we ALL love the Folkmanis Puppets!  I've already ordered a Chick Finger Puppet for in Snuggles' basket.  I thought I'd order a Butterfly Puppet for the whole family. I had a hard time deciding, but ended up just choosing the cute little Mini Monarch Butterfly Finger Puppet.

A few more ideas: (In case you are not addicted to all things made by Joseph's Studio)...  A Butterfly Puzzle would be fun, as would a Live Butterfly Garden or this tube of Wild Republic Nature Butterflies.


Peacock:  "It was once believed that the flesh of the peacock never corrupts, so peacocks became the classic symbol of immortality. They are an ancient Christian symbol of the Resurrection, and representations of them are found on the tombs of ancient Christians as an expression of their hope to follow Christ in His defeat of death. " ~ Fisheaters

Originally I planned to purchase a cute little wooden peacock that I ran across on Etsy.  I placed it in my cart and meant to go back to place the order once I had a little money in my Paypal account, but someone else beat me to it.  Oh well.   Instead I found the another little wooden Peacock made by Holztiger.

A few more suggestions:  The Plush Peacock that made it's way into our basket last year is just darling.   I love the Folkmanis Peacock Puppet, and the Safari: Peacock would also be a cute (smaller) option. And doesn't this Paint By Number with Watercolor EcoPencils Peacock look like fun?


Bells:  "In countries like France and Italy the bells are silent from Holy Thursday until Easter Sunday. In Germany and central Europe even the bells on farm buildings are still, though they begin to ring again on Holy Saturday. With the bells silent, the farm people of the Middle Ages felt uneasy. So, to comfort themselves and their children, they would say, "The bells have flown to Rome, but they'll come back on Easter." ~ Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs: The Story of The Easter Symbols

This is the other symbol for which I just haven't been able to make a decision on what to include... I've had my eyes on these Musical Hand Bells for awhile now, but they are rather expensive.   I've also considered this Bells Of The Holy Land CD.  (The chiming of church bells is one of the distinct characteristics of the Holy Land. This original collection of ringing bells, including special feast ringings, continues a Christian tradition begun in the 6th century. Hear the bells, and through them, be transported in sound to the grandeur of the Land of the Bible.)   Another fun idea would be a Dinner Bell, we do live in the country after all.  I just can't decide.  I suppose I can always resort to that bag of Hershey Chocolate bells I picked up on clearance after Christmas...


And once again, here is the link to the Easter Symbols Booklet.


If you are still looking for some additional ideas for your children's baskets, last year I posted some Catholic Easter Basket Ideas and you can also browse through the posts from our past Easter Mornings here (including 2011, 2010, 2009).

On Easter Morning

Don't you just love Easter morning?  Despite forcing myself to go to bed at midnight (leaving a number of things unfinished) and setting my oven timer for six hours, so I would be forced to get up in the morning to defrost the dinner rolls and start the ham for our Easter Dinner before getting ready to attend the 9AM Easter Sunday Mass, everything came together beautifully!

Filled Easter Baskets and our completed Last Supper Puzzle.  The children loved all the treats and goodies that they found in their baskets, as well as the Easter Symbol Candies! 

I also ended up finding a darling Spring/Lamb Themed Fabric Book to add to Rose's basket called Sunny Day Come and Play!

We had such a hard time getting Rose to smile, I think it was still too early for our little night owl, and she kept making the funniest little faces!

The toy that we ended up choosing for Snuggles was Bullseye.  We had been promising him one for once he was completely potty-trained day and night, and then we couldn't find one locally when I took him shopping a couple weeks ago.   He was so excited!  (And I am excited to only have one in diapers at the moment!)

There wasn't anything Catholic or Symbolic about the ring pops and new sunglasses either, but they definitely were a fun addition to the girls baskets!   They also loved their new watercolors - I found these great Schylling Watercolor sets for the girls and Melissa and Doug Take-along Watercolor Sets for the boys!

The boys loved everything in their baskets too.   Captain's favorite item was the stick of beef jerky and he wondered why it would have been placed hiding in the back!  As for a toy, I ended up just picking out a couple small Lego sets and two grab bag minifigures, which both ended up being Samurais - perfect for my new little fencers! 

We were also all surprised with lovely gifts from Catholic Embroidery including embroidered bookmarks, handkerchiefs, and even a beautiful AMDG Key Fob for me!  Thank you Mary!!

The past couple years, in addition to our children's Easter Baskets, there was a basket for the whole family!  Last year that basket included items for the Garden Parties that we were planning on having, and this year (though unplanned) it ended up focusing on the various Easter Symbols! 

Since we have been enjoying puzzles so much this past year, I had ordered a Good Shepherd Puzzle for the Easter Season!   I also included a Ukrainian Egg Decorating Kit, Egg Shaped Flower Truffles, Lindt Chocolate Lambs, an adorable Peacock (sent from a dear friend), a Butterfly clip, a beautiful small statue of the Good Shepherd and a Good Shepherd Holy Card (both from our local Catholic Book Store) - placing the basket next to this year's Easter Lilies!     (I had ordered a couple other things months ago, including a beautiful cross, from House of Fontanini, but they have yet to arrive. . .) 

I was also so excited about the great little Easter Symbols Booklet that Charlotte made to go with the Easter Symbol Chocolates.   I originally thought I would put one booklet in each of the children's baskets, but I ended up running out of time to stitch them all together, so I just made one.  I think I will save the other 9 copies I printed out for next year! ;)

Happy Easter!

Easter Symbols :: Handcrafted Candy for Easter

I mentioned, in my post on Catholic Easter Basket Ideas, that I was planning on making the candy for my children's Easter Baskets this year.  We have always included a Candy Cross in their baskets, but this year I thought it would be fun to tie in as many Easter Symbols I could, and then include a little homemade "coloring book" in their basket explaining each of the symbols .  I spent a little time the other afternoon getting started and thought I would share a few pictures. Unless you have Amazon Prime 2-day shipping, it might be hard to get any of these molds in time for Easter, but you can always keep these Easter Symbols in mind when looking for candy at the store!

~ Cross ~ 

The cross is perhaps the best known of all Christian symbols.  In the ancient Church the cross was usually depicted without the figure of Christ. It was adorned and decorated as a symbol of the victory Christ won through His suffering. For the ancient world it was a symbol of humiliation, but for Christians it was a symbol of victory and glory. In Christian art, the figure of the suffering Christ was added to the cross only in medieval times. ~ Immaculate Conception Parish

On the very first two that I made (pictured at the top of this post), and you can see that the green leaves ran a little bit.  I still though that they turned out pretty!  To add the color, I used a toothpick to carefully fill in the leaves and flowers.

After the colors had hardened I filled the rest of the mold with the melted white candy. 

I love that I have the option of personalizing the crosses, choosing a different color flower for each of my children!  I made white chocolate crosses for my girls (yes, I made one for myself too!) and still need to make the brown chocolate crosses for my boys.   You can find all sorts of Cross shaped molds, but here is the link to the one that I used for these chocolates.   

I made these Cross Lollipops using the 2-1/4-Inch Cross Sucker Chocolate Mold. You can usually find Chocolate Crosses pre-made at some stores as well!

~ Lamb ~

We refer to Christ as "The Lamb of God," and "The Paschal Lamb," because he was sent as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.  We also lovingly refer to Him as "The Good Shepherd," since He is our Shepherd and told Peter to feed His sheep.

Although mixing colors adds such a pretty touch, it does take a little bit of time.  I made these little white Lambs in a matter of seconds with some of the leftover candy from the crosses above.  Didn't they turn out cute?!?  

Like the crosses, there are many lamb molds to choose from, and you could even use the little lambs included in the Nativity mold which I posted about last Christmas.  Here is the link to the lamb mold I used to make the lambs pictured above.   

Lindt Chocolate Lambs are a cute and delicious store bought alternative.

~ Bread of Life ~

Bread and Wine/Wheat and Grapes: Because of the bread and wine they produce, the symbols of wheat and grapes are often used to designate the Eucharist. Bread is the basic food of every culture and of every age in human history. Made from the toil of human hands, the many grains of wheat are transformed and become one to nourish and sustain us. A meal, in which bread is broken and shared, becomes a means of bonding human beings together. This is the sign Jesus used to describe Himself as the "Bread of Life." Following His command, in faith we take and eat this Bread, His Body, and become one with Him."  From ancient times wine is associated with banquets, joy and celebration, a gift of God to gladden our hearts. The grapes, like the grains of wheat used for bread, are fruits of the earth and give of themselves in order that we might celebrate and be glad. This sign which Jesus used for His Blood, speaks to us of giving and of sacrifice in order that we might enjoy the benefits of His love in the banquet which is the foretaste of heavenly joy.

IHS: IHS stands for the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek.

I'm updating this post to include the "Bread of Life" candies I ended up making as well, using a Communion Chocolate Mold.  A number of other variations, including a smaller version of this mold, are also available. 

~ Lily ~

The lily represents purity, chastity, innocence, and St. Gabriel's trumpet, and is a symbol of Our Lady and used to depict the purity of the Saints, especially SS. Joseph, Francis, Clare, Anthony of Padua, and Catherine of Siena. In America, it has become, too, a symbol of the Resurrection. Legend says that lilies originated with Eve's tears when the first couple was banished from the Garden of Eden. Other legend says that they sprang up from the ground when drops of blood fell to the foot of the Cross. It is interesting that these two legends exist, because Christ, the New Adam, wipes away the tears of the children of Eve who became the children of Mary when Christ gave her to us, through John, from the Cross. Mary herself is symbolized also by another lily, lilium candidum, or the Madonna Lily.  ~ Fisheaters

These sweet little Lily Lollipops were made using this mold.   I also have the non-lollipop version as well, and plan on making a batch of them for Easter too.  You can find many other options here.  I used Charlotte's suggestion and added a dab of yellow to the center with a toothpick.   So pretty and soooo easy!! 

~ Egg ~

The egg is like Jesus’ tomb. It is enclosed, it is quiet, and it seems lifeless. Yet within an egg, the promise of new life is waiting to burst forth. Jesus’ tomb was like an egg until early on Easter when Jesus rose up to a new and glorious life.  ~ Catechist.com

See's Chocolate Butter Easter Egg with Pecans

Now, there are all sorts of Easter Egg Candy Molds available for making your own candy eggs, but I decided to just purchase this symbolic candy for my children's baskets.  There are just too many yummy options available!  My favorites are the Decorated Eggs from See's and the Cadbury Mini Eggs, my husband loves the solid Chocolate Eggs from Hersheys, and our kids are happy with just about anything!



Update:  I ended up purchasing these adorable Hollow Eggs with a White Chocolate Chick inside from See's.   They were only about $1.00 each, and my children LOVED them!

~ Butterfly ~

Butterflies are an apt symbol of the day's meaning. Beginning life as lowly humble caterpillars, they "entomb" themselves in cocoons only to emerge with jewel-colored wings and the ability to soar. What better symbol of the Resurrection -- except maybe for eggs, which had always been symbols of Spring and were items of wonderment to all -- an inanimate object out of which comes life. For Christians, they became the perfect symbol of the tomb Christ conquered.  ~ Fisheaters 

I opted to use one of the very first chocolate molds I ever purchased (a few Easters ago), the Wilton Butterfly Pretzel Mold!  I won't be making these until just before Easter, but here is a picture of the ones the girls and I made back in 2008.   You can find quite a few additional options here. 

~ Peacock ~

"It was once believed that the flesh of the peacock never corrupts, so peacocks became the classic symbol of immortality. They are an ancient Christian symbol of the Resurrection, and representations of them are found on the tombs of ancient Christians as an expression of their hope to follow Christ in His defeat of death. " ~ Fisheaters

I found this Peacock Chocolate Mold on ebay, though I am still waiting for it to arrive.  If it doesn't arrive in time for Easter, these candies would make a fun addition to the last Good Shepherd's Garden Party! 

~ Bells ~

"In countries like France and Italy the bells are silent from Holy Thursday until Easter Sunday.  In Germany and central Europe even the bells on farm buildings are still, though they begin to ring again on Holy Saturday.   With the bells silent, the farm people of the Middle Ages felt uneasy.  So, to comfort themselves and their children, they would say, "The bells have flown to Rome, but they'll come back on Easter."  ~  Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs: The Story of The Easter Symbols

In France and Belgium, it is these bells, not the Easter bunny, that bring the Easter eggs!

 

These pretty chocolate bells are sold at Ladurée in Paris, France!

Here are the ones we made this year, using the  1-Inch 3-D Bell Chocolate Mold, though there are many other options available as well.

Be sure to let me know if you end up trying any of these!

Update:  Charlotte has created a great little Easter Symbols Booklet to go along with these Easter Candies!