Rechenka's Eggs

I hope everyone has a nice Easter break! I think we are all looking forward to spending time with our families. I just finished reading a sweet book by Patricia Polacco titled Rechenka's Eggs. It is the story of old Babushka who is known in her Russian village for painting the most beautiful Easter eggs. While preparing for Easter she saves a wounded Goose who she names Rechenka. Through the course of winter Babushka and Rechenka become fast friends. When spring arrives Babushka know's Rechenka must rejoin her flock. Their parting is not so sad because of a special gift that Rechenka leaves for Babushka. This is a heartwarming story about love and friendship.

A few days ago I was discussing with my friends different Easter traditions. My friend Lisa told us about her family's egg wars. They each have an egg that they tap on the other person's egg. The egg that cracks looses and the winner gets the egg. Sounds like a yummy game but I had never heard of it before and neither had our other friend. Lisa was quite surprised that we didn't know about egg wars. We got a good laugh over her family's "crazy" tradition.

Well, you may be saying, "Ok Mrs. Natalie what does this have to do with Rechenka's Eggs?".

Well I would say to you:

PLENTY!!!!! To tie in the Russian setting of Rechenka's Eggs and family traditions I also read the book Easter Around the World by Shannon Knudsen. There is a chapter on Easter in Russia. I read it to the children because it tells about the Russian Easter feast that includes food like pashka and kulich, the same foods mentioned in the Rechenka story. But to my surprise it also tells about a game that sounds a lot like my friends egg wars.

"Children play a game with their Easter eggs. Each player taps an egg against another player's egg. The person whose egg breaks first must give it to the other player."

How cool, my friend's family isn't completely crazy after all!!!! They are playing a traditional Russian Easter game.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter full of love and family just like Babushka and Rechenka's. Now Go have an egg war!