Heidi and Steven Weatherston of Miami and their kids -- Stevie, age 10, Kimberly, 18, and Melissa, 7 -- have a special Easter tradition. "This is one of the biggest events of the year for our family," Heidi says. "Three skeins of yarn wind through seven rooms -- and they literally and figuratively tie our family together." Here she shares the fun details and how the family tradition got started.
Our Tradition
We wake up Easter morning to find the Easter Bunny's maze winding through the entire house. He ties a different color of yarn to each of our children's bedposts, and the kids have to follow their color (collecting their yarn as they go) to find their Easter basket hidden at the end of it. The maze is really complicated too! The yarn crisscrosses over stair railings, around doorknobs, through table legs, and, of course, over the other threads.
How We Got Started
Five years ago, we were living in the Seattle area and it was too wet to do an outdoor egg hunt. The Easter Bunny must have known what a fun-loving family we are, so he started this tradition for us instead. How the bunny does it: We hear he sets up the maze by first hiding each basket in a concealed spot, such as a cupboard. Then he works back, one skein of yarn at a time. He doesn't wrap the yarn around handles and drawer pulls very close to the baskets, since the kids will have collected an armload of yarn by that point and it's harder for them to unravel the maze.
Why We Love It Heidi: I like how much my kids look forward to this every year, and that my husband and I crawl right around with them! Steven: This tradition really makes memories for our family. The kids are so exuberant. Kimberly: We have to work together just to get down the stairs that morning! Stevie: The most fun is untangling all the yarn from the refrigerator door handle. And finding the baskets. Melissa: I think the Easter Bunny wants children to be happy. He never disappoints me!.
Silliest Moment
The first year, the bunny wrapped so much yarn around Melissa's bed that she almost couldn't get up! She was laughing and laughing and had to slide out sideways. We'd like to hear about your family's favorite tradition.
