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April, 2019   The Antique Shoppe   Page 3
          SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE:
          Design Trends of the Mid-20  Century
                                       th
          By Donald-Brian Johnson

             Hoppin’ Down The Bunny Trail: America’s Easter Traditions


          “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,      Judy Garland/Fred  Astaire movie     new celebration supplanted the old.
          Hoppin’ down the bunny trail,      smash. No  bunnies, just a tuneful   The  name  remained  (sort of);  so,
          Hippity, hoppity,                  tribute  to a beloved Easter Sunday   did “Eostre’s” earthly symbol: the
          Easter’s on its way!”              tradition: folks decked out in bandbox   rabbit.
                                             finery,  strolling  down  Fifth  Avenue.   Lent was a period of penitence,
                          Steve Nelson &     (Berlin was a master of re-invention.   “Mardi Gras” the final fling leading
                        Jack Rollins, 1950   When  an  early  composition  “Smile,   into it, Easter the grand celebration
           That Gene Autry. First, the cowboy   and Show Your Dimple” flopped, he   of its close. Gradually, Easter’s
                                                                                  religious aspects were joined
         crooner set his sights on Christmas,   put it away until 1933, when “Easter   and  complemented  by  secular
         giving us the lowdown on “Rudolph,   Parade”  – the same tune with new
         The  Red-Nosed  Reindeer”,  and     lyrics – debuted.)                   traditions,  celebrating spring as a
                                                                                  season of rebirth and renewal. And,
         offering  the  timely  reminder,  “Here   Sprightly songs are one thing. But   from the early 1900s onward, many   “I could write a sonnet, about your Easter bonnet.”
                                                                                                                     Valerie” lady head vase by Betty Lou Nichols,
         Comes Santa Claus”.  Then, Gene     marshmallow  Peeps? Be-ribboned      of those traditions have enjoyed their   topped off with a seasonal floral array. 5-1/4”,
         sidled  on down the  trail  a-piece,   bonnets? Frisky bunnies delivering   greatest popularity in America:   $150-175. $15-20 each; eggs $5-7 each.
         until he found another holiday      candy-stuffed  baskets?  Just  how  did
         worth celebrating.  The result:     a major Christian holiday become       Easter eggs. In medieval times,      The Easter Bunny. In Germany,
         1950’s  bouncy ‘Here Comes Peter    teamed  up with such unlikely        eggs, a symbol of new life, were     the “Oschter Haws” (“Easter Hare”)
         Cottontail”.                        springtime bedfellows?  Well, blame   not eaten during Lent. When Easter   hides nests of brightly colored eggs.
           Holiday-happy    Irving  Berlin   it on that ancient  Anglo-Saxon      rolled around, exchanging Easter     German immigrants brought the
         put all his eggs in one basket, too.   goddess “Eostre”. When Christianity                                    tradition to America in the 1700s.
         “Easter Parade” started off as a song,   arrived, it meant easing converts out   eggs seemed egg-zactly right. Back   (Incidentally, says the National
                                                                                  then, the wealthy wrapped theirs in
         then  became  the  title  of the  1948   of long-held  pagan  practices.  Since                               Confectioner’s Association, 76% of
                                             the spring observance of Christ’s    gold leaf; the rest of the world settled   Americans think chocolate bunnies
                                             Resurrection  roughly coincided  with   for eggs color-stained with flower   should be eaten “ears first”!)
                                             the  timing of “Eostre’s” festival,  a   petals.                                         Continued on Page 8



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                                                            by Florida Monthly Magazine                                  (2ND SATURDAY)

                                                      “Come Spend the Day With US”                                         April 13


                                                                                                                       MONTHLY


                                                 MADDY'S ANTIQUES                                                  ANTIQUE FAIR
          Which came first, the bunny or the egg?                                                                       4TH SATURDAY
           5” ceramic bunny with carrot, and egg,      121 W. Oak St.
              both unmarked. $10-15; $5-10.               863-494-2500                                                       8am-3pm
                                                                                                                          APRIL 27
                                                          Specializing in:
                                                         Country, Primitives,                                          MAY 25 • JUNE 22
                                                           Vintage Sports                                           Booth Info 863-993-5105


                                                   Thur. & Fri. 12-4, Sat. 10-4 or by appt.
                                                          View our store at:                                      ANTIQUE ASSOCIATION
                                                         maddysantiques.net         1
                                                                                                                            MEMBERS

                                                                                                                     Bizarre Bazaar - 863-456-5608
                                                                                                                  Corey’s Antiques - 863-494-5959
                                                                                                                 Maddy’s Antiques - 863-494-2500
                                                                             OAK STREET    POLK  AVE     DESOTO   AVE    Yellow Brick Road - 863-993-3000

             Something for the fighting man:                               !
                                                                      MONROE   ST
                                                       ORANGE   AVE
             World War II Easter card. $10-15.
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