MANKATO — I’ve always had an affection for Easter. All the pictures of the holiday in my childhood scrapbook are of sunny days, big smiles and green grass dotted with pastel eggs.

It’s the holiday that marks spring, offering up a feeling of surprise and renewal in a variety of ways.

Easter, like most holidays, is highlighted with family traditions. Easter baskets and egg hunts were part of mine, of course, as was the creation of the annual Bunny Cake, which my mom still bakes for my sister and me, and we help decorate. (See sidebar.)

But perhaps my favorite tradition is the spin on egg decorating that my grandmother and mother employed when we were little: The Easter Egg Tree. Made from a backyard tree branch, a soup or coffee can, and decorated eggs, the tree makes a colorful centerpiece for dinner, or a holiday accent for the mantle.

With just two weekends left until Easter, here’s a way to make your kids’ egg-dyeing experience a little more special this year.



The Easter Egg Tree

Materials you will need:

-- An empty soup or coffee can, or small basket

-- Sand or rocks to fill the can

-- Easter grass

-- A tree branch, about 14 inches tall with lots of offshoots

-- String

-- A large, sharp needle

-- Buttons or sequins

-- Raw eggs

-- Egg-decorating items

The first step is to construct the tree portion of your project.

Take an empty, clean soup or coffee can and decorate the outside. Putting Easter-themed stickers around the perimeter, or wrapping with pastel construction paper are two options. (A basket will also work.)

Using a tree branch, with lots of smaller branches attached, place the base of the branch in the can, touching the bottom in the center. Using your free hand or a little helper, pour the rocks or sand around the branch about 3⁄4 up the can to keep the branch stable.

Put decorative Easter grass in the remaining 1⁄4 of the can to hide the sand or rocks. Place candies on top of the Easter grass as an optional decorative touch.

Next, you’ll want to decorate raw eggs. You may dye the eggs using any of the egg-dyeing kits in stores. You can paint designs on them, or use stickers. You can draw designs on the eggs with glue and sprinkle glitter on top to make a shiny design.

Basically, any form of decorating will work. You’ll just want to make sure the tip and base of the eggs are clear.

When the eggs are dry, take your needle and poke holes in the top and bottom of each egg, about 2 millimeters in diameter. Take the tip of the egg to your lips, and blow the contents into a bowl and discard.

Each egg should be hallowed out. Allow the eggs to dry overnight.

Using a clean needle and thread, tie a knot through a button or sequin, and thread through the egg, allowing the button or sequin to catch at the bottom hole. At the top of the egg, tie on an additional button or sequin, and leave about four inches of thread to tie a loop.

Your decorated eggs are ready to be looped around the branches of your tree.