Who’s Ready to Make Your Easter Bonnets? Here’s How!

Yes, it really is a thing. And with just two weeks left until Easter, it's time to get busy! Apparently in New York City, over 30,000 women will show off their new Easter Bonnets in a huge parade.

I remember when I was little, we had these really sweet Easter hats to wear with the dresses that my Mom made by hand.  In Oklahoma, we have several Easter Egg Hunts where you could wear your finest Easter Wear, but with the Oklahoma winds, not sure you would want to!

The Easter Bonnet tradition is basically in celebration of the season of Renewal that we often associate with Spring and Easter in General. It was a chance for those who observe Lent, to splurge after the fasting of Lent was over.  Ladies would parade them through the town showing off their new fashions.

In New York City, there is a huge parade each year, and the tradition has taken on a much different meaning.  While I'm sure that parade-goers are still celebrating Spring, and Easter, the bonnets (what they were called back in the early days of the Easter Parade), are more and more outlandish.  These bonnets are often homemade, and the bigger and gaudier the better!

The Easter parade exploded to its largest numbers way back in the 1940s due in a large part to the movie starring Fred Astaire and Julie Garland. Those numbers reached One Million but have dwindled to around 30,000 in the last years.

While Easter Bonnets are not nearly as popular as they once were, I'm sure you're likely to see at least one or two this Easter Sunday Morning, April 17, 2022. But, if you're not going to wear one, it might be fun to make one with the kids!  I have 7 granddaughters, and how fun would this be?

The year of 2022 in our house is all about Experiences.  We want to spend quality time with each other and building memories that we can pass down to other generations. Easter bonnets Anyone?