Clip Art: Victorian Scrapbook Image of a Pug in an Egg

This menu for a traditional Easter Sunday dinner is from The American Family Reciept Book, by Annie R. Gregory (Assisted by One Thousand Housekeepers). Published in the early 1900s, it gives some historical insight into the Easter holiday traditions of early 20th century America and makes a reference to the White House Easter Egg Roll. You an enter a lottery for a chance to participate in the 2012 event at http://www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll

Easter Sunday

“Resurrection is the silver lining to the dark clouds of death, and we know the sun is shining beyond.”

Easter brings joy to the festival. Let the table decorations be fresh and dainty. The dominant dish should be eggs–eggs and eggs, over again.

In pagan days, the use of eggs in the spring was symbolical of nature–”the bursting forth of life.” With the Christians, it symbolizes the resurrection: “From death–Life.” The free use of eggs on Easter has now generally become a custom with all Nations, whether that nation acknowledges its religious significance or not.

White and green are the most appropriate colors for decoration. White china and pure white linen, with Easter lilies for a centerpiece, make an ideal looking table. Hard-boiled eggs sliced crosswise, make pretty garnishings for the different dishes. On this special day, for breakfast, let the eggs be cooked to order as best pleases each individual fancy. This privilege will be greatly appreciated, especially by the little folks, who like innovations.

Editor’s Note: If I’m asked, I’ll take the Rum Omelet (also from this book)

Make a very soft sweet omelet; when on the dish pour over some rum and sugar, send it to the table and then have it set on fire, basting frequently to keep it alight.

Menu

Breakfast

Oranges
Grape Nut and Cream
Eggs “to order”
Hashed Potatoes, in Cream
Rolls
Griddle Cakes and Maple Syrup
Coffee

Dinner

Consomme, with Egg-Balls
Roast Lamb and Mint Sauce
Greens, with Hard-Boiled Eggs
Egg and Watercres Salad
Strawberry Ice Cream
Easter Cakelets
Coffee

Supper

Welsh Rarebit
Filberts
Eggs, in Jelly
Easter Eggs
Palm Cakes
Russian Tea

It is a pretty custom to exchange souvenirs on Easter mornings. The candy rabbit and bonbon box of speckled eggs, fill quite a place in the boy’s heart and help him remember happily the day.

A pretty custom in my childhood was the rolling of the colored eggs out of doors on the day following Easter. I am told that this custom is now quite modern–that the children in our Capital city all repair to the White House grounds to roll their eggs, and that our Presidents, as well as the wee folks, enjoy the sport. Long live the Presidents!

Arthur’s Home Magazine

The long, cold evenings of winter, and the time for merry in-door sports, has come again. The young people can no longer have the croquet out of doors, the little ones can no longer frolic on the pavement or lawn. About this time there begin to be very mysterious looks, and head-shakings, and incomprehensible talks among the different members of the family.

Up-stairs there is a wonderful bureau, which could reveal volumes of secrets if it could talk, or if it could only let you peep into the dim recesses of its drawers. There the Christmas gifts are laid away, not to see the light of day until the dawn of the Christmas morning.

Such wonders as have found their way into the bureau during the last few days. Pretty pin-cushions, scarfs, shawls, mittens, slippers, sofa cushions, caps, and the dear knows what besides of home manufacture, all made by loving hands. And there are toys for boys, and dolls for girls, which are going to delight little hearts ere many days. In the sitting-room, the bow-window is veiled from the vulgar gaze of the family in general, and inside there is sometimes heard a mysterious driving of nails, an omen of an unusual preparation for the coming holiday.

What a revelation there will be on Christmas morning! Oh, the fairy splendors of the Christmas-tree! Glittering with bright toys and blazing tapers, little elves peeping out between the branches, little fairies perched on all the twigs, a fairy queen in dazzling array crowing the top-most point. Beneath, a wonderful rural scene–a tiny cottage, with yard around; a peaceful lake, with little ducks upon it; shrubs and flowers in the cottage yard, and old Kriss Kringle at the gate, nodding his white head, bowing everybody a welcome to his hospitable retreat.

Then comes a merry time, lasting the livelong day. The Christmas dinner, with all the absent ones at home again, around the festal board. Then the evening, with its games and bonbons, its dancing and merry-making.