Easter isn't just about the eggs anymore

By Kellie J. Lala

I love Easter.  I appreciate the religious meaning as a person of faith.  I enjoy that spring brings new life and to see the grass turning from brown to a vibrant green and the flowers and plants popping their heads thru the dirt.  But what I really love….Cadbury crème filled eggs and making Easter baskets for family and friends!  According to the National Retail Federation’s (3/20/12) Easter spending survey, Americans will shell out a hopping $145.28 (on average) on everything from apparel, candy, food, cards and décor.  That is up over 10% from 2011 and total spending could reach $16.8 billion (yes that is a “B”).  The article goes on to say that even though the price at the pump is on everyone’s mind, Easter is still a holiday that people will stretch their budgets for.  Kids look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning, even big kids like me!  Even Easter meals average $44.34 per person.  Two out of five consumers will shop on line and over 25% will shop in specialty stores.  A now common shopping tool is the tablet and over 52% will use this device to research products and purchase gifts. 

So-what are you planning for Easter?  How many chocolate eggs will you eat before finishing your kid’s baskets? 

Hop to it now so Easter doesn’t sneak up on you on April 8^th.    

Spring Forward......

By Kellie J. Lala

This weekend we spring forward for yet another time.  I thought I’d share a bit of history about this tradition with you. It has been around since World War One and became more widely adopted in 1916.  It is the practice of turning the clock ahead as warmer weather approaches and back as it becomes colder again.  It is to give people one more hour of daylight in the evening during the warmer season of the year.  Some say it should be called “daylight shifting time” because no daylight is actually saved.  Countries in tropical climates do not observe DST and the actual months when the clock is set ahead and back differ between the northern and southern hemispheres.  The US Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandated changes to DST by extending it 3 weeks earlier in the spring and one week later in the fall. One big assumption behind this change was that it would decrease the need for artificial light sources and thus save energy.  Now…I am sure that you are now asking yourself what does mean for me?  You lose an hour of sleep.  You will find it staying lighter after you get off work at the end of the day. Perhaps your mood will improve.  Maybe you will find yourself with more energy with more daylight. I think this is a good thing. Anyway, I choose to look at my glass of ice cold lemonade as half full.  How about you?