Long before the religious significance of Easter had meaning for me, the holiday was all about colored eggs, the Easter bunny, baskets filled with goodies, egg hunts and dotted Swiss. My two sisters and I always got new Easter frocks which my Granny sewed. Dotted Swiss, a smooth fabric with tiny raised dots, was my mother’s fabric of choice for our Easter dresses. She loved it. And she loved seeing us dressed in it. It’s a good thing we were all girls.
The choice of dotted Swiss fabric came with a stipulation. It couldn’t be pink. She liked seeing by sisters dressed in pink but she felt I had too much red in my hair to wear pink or red. That was a fashion rule according to her. Something about the colors clashing. My hair color messed it up for all of us. She wanted all three dresses identical. We wore matching Easter dresses for years. Identical Easter dresses was a source of joy for my Mother.
It took a long, long time but I finally figured out that people with auburn/red hair can, indeed, wear pink. The notion was seared deeply in my brain. My mother had somewhat of an obsession with it. She never missed an opportunity to point out an auburn/red-haired person that she spotted wearing pink or red. She felt it her duty to use that as an educational experience so I learned properly and would never commit such an egregious act. Fashion rules have relaxed. However, wearing pink comfortably took some doing. I had to work my way into it and get over the fact that I was breaking one of my mother’s rules. I’ve always been a rule follower and remain so even today.
As I write this post on Palm Sunday, I realize how different the meaning of Easter is to me now as I think about the upcoming events of Holy Week and Easter. Just as I have grown in my understanding of fashion and colors, I’ve grown in my faith and understanding of this most Holy holiday. I wish you the peace and joy that I have in my heart.
Y’all come see us!
Easter Menu Suggestions
Traditionally, Southerners enjoyed cured hams for Easter. The reason was rooted in practicality. Prior to refrigeration, hogs weren’t butchered before the first frost which was usually late fall. Curing was a long process and the first cured ham wouldn’t be ready until around Easter which made it the perfect main dish for the holiday. I hope you might be able to get some inspiration from list of suggested menu items.
MAIN DISH
Herb Roasted Chicken
SIDES
Stewed Summer Squash and Onions
Okra Fritters
Roasted Carrots
Buttermilk and Chive Scalloped Potatoes
BREADS
Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
DESSERTS
Coconut Cake with Sour Cream Filing
Banana Split Cake
Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
Coca-Cola Cake with Coca-Cola Icing
Ann says
Jackie – I always had a new (homemade) dress for Easter too – in fact I remember getting everything new for Easter – shoes, underwear and a hat!! My mama was a great seamstress even though back then all I wanted was a store bought dress (little did I know how lucky I was!!) Dotted swiss does bring back some memories, I’m sure I had more than one along the way. Love your “pink” story, and I do remember people saying that red heads couldn’t wear pink (or red) – little did they know that today people have pink HAIR and the rules are pretty much out the window regarding colors and patterns – My Mama was a big stickler on everything matching, you couldn’t combine patterns of fabric even if they were the same color hue, you couldn’t have plaids and stripes together so I had to get over that kinda like you did the pink thing! So looking forward to having Easter dinner with my daughter and family who moved back from New York in Feb and we will probably have way too much food since we are sharing the cooking responsibilities! Enjoy your Easter!!
Jackie Garvin says
Ann,
We got the whole outfit new for Easter, too! And the shoes were ALWAYS white patent leather.
Happy Easter! 🙂
Jean says
We were always told red haired people can never wear pink. I think it’s rather silly too and redheads look just as good in pink as anybody else. The food selection looks out of this world! Any of those choices would make me a happy camper. May I wish for you, Jackie…a very blessed and happy Easter.
Jackie Garvin says
Jean,
Happy Easter!
Michele says
Thanks dear Jackie! I love it as always! Takes me back to the marvelous days when the house was FULL for the entire Easter weekend. Those were the days my friend! My grandmother loved dotted Swiss, but I did not. Guess who won? 🙂 xoxoxo
Jackie Garvin says
Michele,
I would say you wore dotted Swiss much to the delight of your grandmother! 🙂
Cheryl Scott says
Thanks for the memories. My mom loved Dotted Swiss too. She always made the dresses for my sister and me….and we had everything new from the underwear out. I too have come to love those memories and also the knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus and the significance of his sacrifice.
Jackie Garvin says
Cheryl,
Happy Easter! 🙂
Mary says
I can’t believe Easter is almost upon us. I loved Easter. We always had ham. Easter always meant a new outfit. It was store-bought because my mother & grandmother did not know how to sew. And besides, we both know my grandmother was not really the motherly type. hahaha
Love your suggestion for an Easter meal. They all sound great. Happy Easter, Jackie.
Jackie Garvin says
Mary,
I love your grandmother and I don’t even know her!
Happy Easter, Miss Mary! 🙂
Mary says
Wow….was dotted swiss popular back in the day! My sister and I always had dotted swiss Easter dresses plus pinafore style dresses. Does anyone remember dusters (a light weight Spring coat-not a housecoat)? We got the whole shebang at Easter!!! lol Well, your menu suggestions look great, as usual. Thanks for making our Easter dinner job just a little easier!!!
Jackie Garvin says
Mary,
I don’t remember dusters but I sure do remember moo-moos! My Granny wore them proudly all the time when she was flitting around the house.
Happy Easter, Mary! 🙂
Debbi Saunders says
Dotted Swiss! I remember vividly one Easter my Mom, who also made most of my clothes, made me a dotted swiss dress with a sash around the waist! It was white dotted swiss and my Mom embroidered every dot with pale pink, green, and blue! What a labor of love…sure wish I had kept that little dress.Thanks for the memory.
Jackie Garvin says
Oh, Debbie! That was certainly a labor of love. I can’t even imagine how much patience it took for your Mama to embroider each one of the dots. That is such a precious story. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Diana Goodman says
Thanks Jackie, I am a seamstress, have a alteration shop in Mont. AL, yes! the Easter dress was so special =), I just had a tuff time with those new, hard, patent leather shoes, I have Flintstone toes, LOL, Happy Easter, iceprincess56
Jackie Garvin says
Good morning, iceprincess56!
I love it when I can make the connection of people’s ids and handles on different social networking sites. It’s not always obvious so thanks for letting me know who you are in the twitterverse!
My Granny was a seamstress for the public, too. She made dresses for $7.00. I remember Mama trying to get her to raise her prices but she never would. I admire people with your talent and patience.
I’m with you on breaking in new shoes. I hate new shoes!
Happy Easter!
Jennifer says
My sister was told by my grandma (now 87) as we were growing up she shouldn’t wear red with her red hair, too. My grandma at one time had natural red hair herself and grew up hearing the same advice. I’m pretty sure my sister has thrown out my grandma’s fashion advice by now, but not before getting tons of blue and aqua clothing from my grandma.(I guess to ensure she never had a chance to wear anything different, lol.) Love my grandma!
I can remember my favorite Easter dress as a kid was mint/pale aqua with large pastel colored flowers and it had puffy sleeves and a crisscross back. It was the early 90’s. : )
All of of your menu suggestions sound excellent, especially the desserts!
Jackie Garvin says
Jennifer,
I hope you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter. Thanks so much for sharing your favorite Easter dress story!
Welcome home! 🙂
pumpkin061 says
You have a gorgeous color hair and can wear pink or any color and look gorgeous! I hope you know that now. Have a beautiful and blessed Easter, and I thank you always for sharing your life and recipes with all of us
Jackie Garvin says
Jill,
You are just the sweetest thing ever. Wish I could hug your neck. Thank you!