EASTER BASKETS

Monday or Tuesday are good days to begin preparing the foods for the Easter Basket. What goes into a food basket? That depends on the region one is from, the family's preferences, and financial means. Common Basket Items: Butter (Masło) Bread (Paska or Babka or both) Horseradish Hard-Cooked Eggs and Pysanky (decorated eggs) Sausage Ham or Lamb Smoked Bacon Salt Cheese Candle Easter Basket Cover

Instead of ham, for example, some Croatians and Slovenes place lamb in their baskets, and western Slovaks include a veal loaf,. In wine-making regions like Hungary and Croatia, bottles of superior vintage go into the basket, and yet others add green spring vegetables to theirs. In Poland, the size and contents of a woman’s basket was a matter of pride and standing in the community. In America, it is less about one-upmanship and more a matter of practicality. Years ago in rural villages, it was a mark of one's wealth if an overflowing basket of Easter foods were presented to be blessed. Over-the-top displays are less common these days. Today you’ll see a sample of symbolic foods lining the basket. Since Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians fast during Lent, not one morsel of this blessed food is eaten until after Mass on Easter Sunday when it becomes the traditional Easter breakfast. It is many of these foods that people fasted from during Lent, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays, when it was customary to fast from meat and dairy products. A candle may be placed in the basket so it can be lit during the blessing. Some families tie a bow or ribbon around the basket handle. Everything is covered with a richly embroidered cloth that rests atop the food. More information about the Easter Basket covering may be found at Ukrainia Easter Tradition - Embroidered scarf for Easter Basket (suburbangrandma.com) None of this food is touched until after Easter Vigil Mass or Easter Sunday Mass, Great care is taken in preparing the food for the Easter Basket. The entire family may help.

A good place to start is with baking of the breads. Fancy delectable breads were made in advance in preparation for the Easter Feast. Paskas, Babkas and Hot Cross Buns are commonly made for Easter as well as other fruit breads. Bread (Paska)

Bread to the Ukrainians is one of the holiest of all foods. Two types are typically placed in Easter Baskets. The paska pictured above and the babka, which is pictured below. The paska is typically made of white flour, baked in a round pan, and decorated with a cross. The name paska came from the Jewish Passover feast known as pesach, and from the Greek version of the word—pascha – the passing over of Christ from death to life. Paska bread usually features a dough braid around the perimeter, and a dough cross or other religious symbols on top. Symbolic of Jesus Christ, who is the living bread or the True Bread of Life for Christians, the Paska is round. The Cross on top reminds Christians that Christ died on the Cross for their salvation. Recipes to make Paskas are located here.at this link.

BABKA Babka is a round loaf of sweetened yeast bread or cake studded with orange and lemon peel and raisins. Its name is considered by some to mean “blessed Mother”. It is a symbol of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.

Hot Cross Buns

A staple bread for many families of various traditions for Easter is Hot Cross Buns. The origins of hot cross buns may go back as far as the 12th century. According to the story, an Anglican monk baked the buns and marked them with a cross in honor of Good Friday. Over time they gained popularity, and eventually became a symbol of Easter weekend. It’s very important to understand that Easter is about Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection through which he paid the penalty for sin so everyone who believes in Him has eternal life with Him. It’s a glorious thing and such good news! Hot cross buns help to share the story. A legend talks of these buns protecting sailors from shipwreck, while off at sea. Yet another version mentions that sharing the bun with a loved one guarantees friendship in the coming year.

PUTTING THE EASTER BASKET TOGETHER

Now that we’ve worked all week preparing the various foods for our Easter Basket, Saturday morning we can put the basket of food together so that we can take it to the Church for blessing. After finding a suitable basket and lining it with a fine white cloth, items are placed in the basket. Here is a helpful link for more info. The Common Basket Items are Butter (Masło) Bread (Paska or Babka or both) Horseradish Hard-Cooked Eggs and Pysanky (decorated eggs) Sausage Ham or Lamb Smoked Bacon Salt Cheese Candle Easter Basket Cover

Bread The Paska, Babka, Hot Cross Buns and whatever other bread you choose is placed in the basket. The bread is symbolic of Jesus Christ, who is the living bread or the True Bread of Life for Christians.

Butter, symbolic of the goodness of Christ, is added. It may be formed in a lamb shape or placed in a bowl.... even easier remove the wrap and use your butter dish and make the Cross too.

Horseradish Horseradish, symbolic of the bitter herbs eaten by God’s people as they wandered in the dessert or the bitterness of sin and its sad consequences, may be placed in the basket alone. It may also be mixed with grated beets, symbolic of Christ's passion and the blood He shed. These are placed in a decorative bowl and included in the basket.

Sausage Sausage, either fresh or smoked, is symbolic of God's favor and generosity. It is always present in the basket. Ham or Lamb Ham is symbolic of great joy and abundance. Some households prefer veal or lamb, which reminds Christians that the risen Christ is the Lamb of God. Smoked Bacon Bacon, with its great fattiness, is a symbol of the overabundance of God's mercy and generosity. Salt Salt, a necessary element in physical life, is symbolic of prosperity and justice and is included in the basket to remind us that people are the flavor of the earth. It is also a reminder of Christian’s duty to others. Eggs Either hard boiled eggs, or coloured eggs form an important part of the basket. Beautifully decorated eggs are used primarily as decorations, whereas the hard-boiled eggs coloured with edible dyes are edible. Eggs bring prosperity, fertility, healing and protection, long life and bounty Cheese Cheese is symbolic of the moderation Christians should have at all times. Usually, fresh dry curd or farmer's cheese (not aged) is placed in the basket, but another type of cheese, might be included. Candle A candle, which may be lit in church at the blessing of the baskets, represents Christ as the Light of the World.

Easter Basket Cover Although traditions vary from family to family about what goes into the basket that is to be blessed on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday, what seems to remain constant is the colorful ribbons and greenery attached to the basket as signs of joy and new life in the season of spring and in celebration of the Resurrection. According to Ukrainian, Polish and other Orthodox traditions, the basket is covered with a beautiful cloth. It s usually made of linen or other fine cloth and is embroidered with religious symbols related to the Resurrection and the celebration of Easter. These basket covers are passed down from generation to generation. A Ukrainian basket cover is similar to an embroidered towel except it has Easter symbols on it. Each basket is covered with a hand embroidered cloth cover, with Easter motifs of pussy willows and Easter Eggs, or other symbols. Cross Stitch patterns for Easter Basket covers may be found at: cross stitch pattern for easter basket cover - Google Search

After the Blessing This blessed food may not be consumed until after the Easter Vigil Mass or the morning Resurrection Mass on Easter Sunday.

Before the food is eaten, in the Ukrainian tradition, the father or head of the family leads the members in a short prayer or the singing of an Easter song called “Khrystos Voskres” (Christ is Risen). The father then takes one consecrated boiled egg and divides it into several pieces, one for each member of the family. As he hands a piece of egg to each member, he invokes the greeting “Khrystos Voskres” (Christ is risen.) to which they reply “Voistyno Voskres” (He is Risen Indeed.) This signifies the continuing togetherness of the family unit, as the egg represents one, so does the family. After the first egg is eaten, the rest of the food is passed around the table. After the Easter celebration continues for the rest of the evening (if celebrating Easter Vigil) and on Easter Sunday.