Happy Easter This Sunday ~ THE SAVVY SHOPPER: Vince Camuto ... Thank you!

This is the Easter card (by Marian Heath) I sent to my Mom. Look at those beady eyes and wedged feet. Darling, right?

Easter is the oldest and most important festival on the Christian calendar, celebrating the belief that Jesus rose from the dead. Christians believe that good can defeat evil, and eternal life will overcome death. In a nutshell, humankind was liberated from sin and darkness and returned to grace. (The word "sin" as used in the New Testament, is translated from the Classical Greek word, "ἁμαρτία." It means "to miss the mark.")

Like Passover, Easter is not a fixed holiday. It falls between March 22 and April 25 on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following the northern spring equinox. According to Bede, a Medieval sourcebook, the word "Easter" is Old English from German. It stems from "Eastre," the name of a pagan spring and fertility goddess. Rooted in Judaism, Easter marked the beginning of a new Church with new traditions.

Spring is an ideal season to celebrate Easter since in nature it's a time of new beginnings ...

... for plants and cute little creatures all around us.

Easter critters remind me of the time I crossed Central Park to find a baby duck. It was a scorching afternoon. Three strangers and I took turns holding the duck like an infant while we called rescue places and tried to figure out what to do?!? The temperature was so hot we feared the duck would dehydrate, so we tried to get him to float in a pond, but the second we put him in the water, he climbed out and ran back to us. Finally, we located an organization, which found the little fellow a home. That baby duck would have died in the blistering sun. Better to celebrate Easter by bringing home the chocolate variety.