Dudley’s Shake-an-Egg

I think Dudley Rabbit needs to tell Clara Clucker to stop lolly gagging in the kitchen and get back into that hen house to produce some more eggs! Maybe I’m lying to myself but I think I remember doing the Shake-an-Egg thing. That blow up egg is pretty cool but it wouldn’t have last too long in my house as it would surely have fallen to the same fate as all of my bop bags did as the victims of my own reckless abandon.

I almost thought about doing some egg coloring this year. I haven’t done anything like that probably in close to twenty years. I ended up passing on the idea but there’s always next year…

Whitman’s Marshmallow Egg: GOAT Easter Candy?

In the last year or so, it’s been really had to stay away from candy while trying to cut back on junk food. More or less, I succeed, but when you work in retail and you have to stare at Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter candy for half the year, it takes a toll on a man. His soul too.

A co-worker told me Whitman’s Marshmallow Eggs were really good. I usually don’t care much for marshmallow filled stuff. Eggs, Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, pumpkins, whatever, I usually don’t like it and would much rather have something filled with caramel. So, I thought not much of his comments and even refused to let him buy me one to try.

Well, my girl was given one of these at work and she’s even less into junk food than I am nowadays so she brought it home for me. Aww, how sweet! And I’m talking about this marshmallow egg because it is AWESOME! I couldn’t believe it! I begrudgingly ate it while remember one of my co-worker’s gave it two thumbs up and boy was he right.

They aren’t quite like any marshmallow-filled candy on the market. The marshmallow isn’t that usual cheap stuff you would find in a Russell Stover egg (yes, I know Whitman’s and Russell Stover are part of the same company). It tastes like and how the texture of Marshmallow Fluff or Kraft’s Jet-Puffed (or whichever marshmallow creme you prefer) and I was expecting the coating to be similar to chocolate but it’s not. It’s called “pastelle”, I guess. I has a similar texture and feel of chocolate but it tastes different. I can’t explain it but it’s very good and tasting it now, I remember having had some solid “pastelle” candy back when I was a kid when my elementary school took a field trip to a candy shop and get to watch it get made.

I never could figure out what that candy on a stick was but now I know and I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for it.

These eggs are almost too pretty to eat though. It’s like a work of art they should be charging more than 59 cents (or 2 for $1!) for. I seem to feel that way about a lot of Easter candy. All those bright colors and beautiful designs, seems like a waste to eat it. They come in three Easteriffic colors: yellow, green and pink.

My attempt at a close-up shot.

For someone who tries to stay away from candy, these things are addicting. I’ve had six more since eating my first and that was like a week and a half ago! 110 calories for each one of these little suckers!

THE FIRST EASTER RABBIT DVD Review

The First Easter Rabbit [Remastered Deluxe Edition]
(2010, Warner Home Video)
Originally Aired: 1976, NBC
Run time: 25 minutes

Special Features:
6 Fun Menu-Based Puzzles for Kids

I’m a member of Columbia House’s DVD program. Yeah, I know it’s somewhat off a ripoff but considering the free DVDs I was able to get when signing up I figure I can usually break even when these types of “clubs”. I used to make a KILLING with BMG’s music service by constantly signing up, canceling, then signing up again.

Anyway, I just happened to be digging around on Columbia House’s website and came across this DVD. The First Easter Rabbit is one of the few Rankin Bass holiday specials I don’t own and for good reason: to my knowledge it hasn’t showed up on TV for as long as I can remember, the VHS copy is out of print and it wasn’t until February 16th of this year that it was finally released on DVD!

HAPPY EASTER

And I’m glad it’s finally over. Lemme tell you, it SUCKS working in retail and SUCKS even more when the holidays come around. Then again, in retail, there’s always some forced “event” or holiday to keep us busy and out of stock and the customers angry. Ah, those impatient angry customers– just like the ones I had to deal with yesterday nonstop. Man, were we ever busy! I was really surprised by how little Easter candy we had left. ZERO jelly beans in stock!

Anyway, Easter isn’t all bad when you’re a kid. In fact, it’s pretty sweet. Iit’s kinda like a junior hybrid of Halloween & Christmas: you get some candy, you get a few toys, and then you go to church to learn about God & Jesus.

Back when my sister and I were kids, we got your standard jelly beans, Reese’s Eggs/miniatures, Peeps, bubble bum eggs, Whopper Robin Eggs, chocolate bunnies, SweeTarts and those weird large candy coated eggs that were somewhat fruity flavored but had the texture of a Circus Peanuts. Of course, there was the Easter egg hunt as well. Sometimes performed out in the front yard, but also in the house.

We would also leave out food for the Easter Bunny. Hey, why should Santa get all the snacks? I think that stopped being a family tradition early on in our youth, but I remember leaving jelly beans and carrots for him. There was no other feeling like knowing Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny had visited your house and ate your food than by seeing the “evidence” of nibbled treats and a half empty (half full?) glass of milk the next morning.

As for toys, in my earliest years, I can remember my parents would have an egg with a string attached to it, which when followed, would lead us to our “main” toy for that Easter. Nothing big or fancy like you might see at Christmas, usually for me it was an action figure, but still pretty cool.

I got my first and ONLY Food Fighters figure (Burgerdier General, if you’re nasty) one Easter. Another year, I ended up with a Ghostbusters Peter Venkman figure from their Fright Features series.

All of this, of course, was followed up by church. This always drove me CRAZY. It’s Christmas! It’s Easter! I’ve got TOYS1 I’ve got CANDY! Why do I need to go to church ?!?

There’s no point to any of this. Just rambling about my life. So, how about you? What are your Easter traditions and fond memories?

Give thanks to the Easter Bunny for your M&Ms!

Look at that old M&Ms packaging! I love it. The scene of chocolate pouring and morphing into M&Ms warms my heart with nostalgia.