Passover is a traditional Jewish and Samaritan holy day, eagerly awaited and gloriously celebrated by Jews the world over.  The word Passover is derived from the Hebrew “Pei-Samekh Cheit”.  It literally means to pass over and is symbolic of the time when God passed over the houses of the Jews as the firstborns of Egypt were being killed.  It is also a means of remembering the Jewish exodus from Egypt, and their freedom from decades of slavery.

Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, wherein there begins a full moon.  From that date, the festivities continue for seven days, and a Passover feast called Seder is enjoyed.  During Seder, several delicious and symbolic foods are savoured, with four cups of wine!

 Preparation for the significant event often involves a thorough “spring cleaning” of one’s home, sometimes even calling for a new paint job. Offering gifts, such as lovely and colourful flower bouquets, are a nice way of adorning the table for Seder.  Getting the home ready may include the addition of fresh greens as well as spring blooms, to create a feeling of welcome and promise.  Hydrangeas carry the pleasantness of spring.  Bright daisies bring in sunshine and joy.  And azalea topiaries add something distinctive to any home.  Violets are soft and friendly, while tulips are boisterous and cheery.  Flowers forever contribute to a fun yet classy sophistication of any event.

Besides eating luscious delicacies and traditional Jewish foods, Passover festivities encompass, Passover rituals, social gatherings, and fun Passover games. Creative activities are also a part of Passover, intended to make beautiful pieces of artwork.  Trying something new is always a welcomed extra.  For instance, bouquets of fruit, or eatable arrangements, are tasty and refreshing inclusions to meals enjoyed throughout the event.  Bringing a unique and inspired air to Passover can be easily accomplished with a little colour and bountiful fragrance.       

 Some of the more well-known rituals that are observed during this time involve bread.  For instance, afikomen, which is a type of bread, is hidden by children who receive a reward if the bread is not found by their parents.  Chametz, (any type of leavened bread, such as rye, wheat, or barley), look engorged or bloated and are expected to be removed from homes as a representative way of removing arrogance from the soul.  Matza is also eaten.  Matza is unleavened bread that has no “puffiness”.  Including Matza within the meals is a positive commandment or “mitzvah”, enjoyed during Seder, the first meal of Passover.  Plates of dried fruit and nuts (kosher) can provide even more appetizing selections before or after meals. 

 The combination of all of the rituals and festivities above make the entire seven days of Passover a myriad of colour, scintillating aroma, scrumptious food, creative flair and one talked about event!

Flowers are fresh.  They add colour, they smell great and they add creativity to a room.  Pair flowers with fruit, and you get a double dose of all that good stuff. 

Arrangements that include fruit are not a new phenomenon.   Chefs around the world use imagination to slice and carve out original designs, the likes of which were never seen before.  I’ve seen watermelons carved to look like peacocks, papaya shaped into shoes, apples that look like butterflies, and pears carved into violins. 

But, what I find most inventive and practical at the same time is a fruit dish, sliced to look like a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  It serves as a conversation piece as well as provides a delicious cocktail for guests.

Often these arrangements will use a mix of fruit such as pineapple, oranges, cherries, melon, grapes and strawberries.  Sometimes the arrangements will also include fun extras to evoke even stronger bursts of flavour, like chocolate or marshmallows.  Brought together, the colours are vibrant, the fruit is juicy, and the fragrance is refreshing.  

Although making a simple eatable arrangement on your own is said to be relatively easy, in actuality it does involve time and patience.  Special tools, such as carving knives, make it easier, as well as particular wooden picks, and some skill in removing seeds and such from the centre of something like a melon base.  Not exactly my forté, but, could be an activity right up your alley.

OR…you could simply purchase an arrangement that’s been already designed for you and pay relatively little for it considering all the work involved.  Plus, save time on a day that you’ll more than likely be trying to prepare for a house full of guests.  The arrangements purchased will also provide more intricately designed pieces, with more variety in its shapes and colours. 

If you are planning an event, and looking to try something different, I strongly recommend an eatable fruit bouquet.  Add a little extra fun and vibrancy to any party.  Soooo fruity!

When we think of Easter, we see decorated eggs, baby chicks, chocolate, bunnies or chocolate bunnies!   Whatever the case may be, Easter is a very colourful and cheerful event.

Representative of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is intended to remind us of the hope that an act of rebirth presents us.  Decorated eggs and Easter bunnies became tied to the holiday because they too are a sign of rebirth.   

Because rabbits have frequent multiple births, the bunny (or hare) has come to denote fertility.  In addition, the hare was the sacred animal of Eastre, the goddess of spring and fertility.  It was the Saxons who later devoted the month of April to celebrating this goddess.

Eggs too embody the concept of fertility and have been linked to springtime festivals for many years. According to ancient Romans, all life comes from an egg.  In addition, to many Christians eggs are seen as the seed of life.

With spring and its rebirth role, there are particular flowers that remind us of events like Easter and its epitomization of abundance and renewal.  People select Easter flower arrangements to add beauty and refreshing fragrance to their homes or even church.  Popular choices include, Azaleas, Tulips, White Easter Lilies, Hyacinths and Daisies.   

In any event, eggs, bunnies, and flowers all provide wonderful Easter tidings and similarly stand as symbols of resurrection, joy and revival. 

Happy Easter to all!