March 27, 2024
-by Bonnie MacIsaac
One of my favourite times of the year! I can’t wait to see some of my family. My ‘Easter Bonny’ ears are waiting! In the midst of the excitement of gathering with family, friends, and enjoying the festivities, one thing we always should be mindful off, as with any day, is safety for everyone involved. Here are a few tips to keep your Easter fun!
– Be sure that Easter toys and dolls (such as bunnies, chicks, etc.) are free of choking hazards. Pieces that can be removed from a doll or toy pose a potential choking danger to small children.
– To prevent choking never give small candies to children under five years of age.
– Peanut and nut allergies seem to be getting more common amongst children. Are any of the children attending your Easter celebrations allergic? Not sure? Make sure you read the label of contents, as many chocolates, although said to be “pure chocolate,” may have been in contact with nuts or peanuts during their preparation or packaging.
Holidays can create special dangers for our pets. Each year during the various holiday seasons, thousands of pets are seriously injured and/or become deathly ill. It's a busy time ... a time of much planning, shopping, cooking and baking, rushing to and from parties and get-togethers with relatives and friends. Often times we forget about our little four-legged members of the family during the rush and festivities. They are curious and anxious as we, their caretakers are and there are many hazards waiting for their curiosity.
Easter has its hazards of pets nibbling the colourful Easter “grass” used in baskets and other decorating. The goodies tucked in the baskets can create havoc to a pet's digestive system as well – chocolates, teeny Easter toys, plastic items, etc.
Lilies are lethally toxic to cats. In fact, they are so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase containing cut lilies. The lily toxin, which only affects cats, has not been identified. If dogs ingest lilies, they do not develop kidney failure, although they may have an upset stomach. If you think your cat may have chewed on or ingested lily, seek veterinary care immediately. Take a few extra minutes to ensure they are kept out of harms way. They'll love you for it.
Experts say that egg handling at Easter is a concern. Kids love decorating hard boiled eggs. Then of course the inevitable happens, the egg cracks and the child wants to eat it. Here are a few tips on handling eggs safely at Easter and through out the year. It is important to keep in mind that eggs are capable of supporting the rapid and progressive growth of disease-causing bacteria like salmonella.
– Fresh eggs should be kept refrigerated until it's time to cook them.
– It is recommended that you do not handle eggs excessively and that you wash your hands thoroughly when you handle them, that includes cooking, dyeing, or hiding!
– Don't eat cracked eggs or eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
– If you don't colour the eggs right after cooking them, refrigerate and make sure if you are hiding these eggs and they are going to be eaten to, refrigerate them right after they are found.
– If hard cooked eggs are used as a centrepiece or other decorations this Easter weekend, cook extra eggs for eating and discard the ones that have been left out as a decoration.
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Since Easter is a hop, skip, and a jump away. I thought I would share a few ideas from the folks at Cadbury's. One of my favourite things to do at Easter is have an Easter egg hunt. It can be too much fun! Put some imagination behind it or perhaps use some of these ideas for something different or to liven up your hunt.
First, pick a theme! Here are a few fun ideas:
– Hunt by colour: Kids are given a colour and hunt for their assigned coloured eggs.
– Hunt by number - Each egg is numbered, and kids collect eggs with their assigned number.
– Hunt by name - Each egg gets the name of a child and the child hunts for his or her own personalized eggs.
– My favorite, I make up riddles!
– Gotta get a clue hunt
– Develop a series of clues pointing out where the eggs are hidden and let the little Sherlock Holmes in your family find the hidden treasures.
– Wordsmith hunt - Each egg has a different word on it and each child must hunt eggs that form a complete sentence.
– Black jack hunt - Set 21 as a target sum and have kids collect five pre-numbered eggs. The child who collects eggs with a sum totaling closest to 21 earns a special Easter prize.
– Treasure Island hunt - Create hunting treasure maps for each child to locate their bunny loot. Some spots on the map may hide a plastic hollow egg that includes a clue to find the next special hiding spot.
– Flashlight hunt - Turn off the lights or hold it outside when it gets dark. Everyone uses a flashlight to try and find the eggs.
– Trading places hunt - Kids get to hide the eggs and the parents are the ones doing the hunting!
Thanks to the folks at Cadbury's for these fun ideas! Happy hunting!
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It's free! Check these out! If you have children and would like to keep them busy with some Easter or just Spring related crafts – then check out www.crayola.ca. Click on the ‘Colouring and Crafts’ link. Dozens of little projects and often all is needed is the usual types of supplies we keep around the house. Lots of fun for everyone!
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If you receive Easter lilies- They are a traditional decoration or popular gift. I think it's such a waste that many people just throw them out after they start to lose their blooms. You can enjoy their beauty for years. I personally love them and want to keep them around for as long as I can. First, here are a couple care tips to help keep them fresh for three weeks or more after the holidays:
– When you bring your potted plant home, take off the plastic sleeve right away to provide good air circulation. Also remove the foil covering from the pot so that the drainage holes are not blocked. This plant won't tolerate soggy soil, which will cause the bulb to rot.
– Cut off spent flowers to keep your plant looking its best.
Easter lily bulbs won't bloom again indoors. If you want to keep them, you can replant them outside. They're cold-hardy to Zone 5 (which we are in). Although professional greenhouse growers force them into bloom before the spring holiday, you can expect your lilies to bloom outdoors in early summer, their natural bloom time.
Tips for planting and growing Easter lilies outdoors:
– Plant your bulbs in the garden as soon as danger of frost has passed. Don't store them because lily bulbs don't go dormant.
– Choose a bright location where the plants will get at least a few hours of direct sun.
– Plant the bulbs six inches (15 cm) deep in rich, well-drained soil, 12 in (30 cm) apart.
– Water well and fertilize once a month in spring and summer.
– Deadhead flowers as they fade and cut stems back after the foliage has turned yellow.
– Mulch plants in cold climates in winter to protect them. Remember to remove the mulch covering in spring to allow the new shoots to grow.
When replanted outside, and with good care, you'll enjoy flowers for many years to come. Enjoy!
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A very Happy Easter to all my readers from my home to yours! Stay safe and enjoy!
