Cheery Gargunnock follows colourful Swedish tradition of decorating outdoors
Following hot on the heels of the success of Gargunnock’s“Advent Windows for Christmas”, the village’s WI is now busy galvanising everyone for its new Easter Festival.
The idea came from a member who had seen Easter Trees or Paskris when on holiday in Sweden.
Shops sell colourful feathers for people to tie to twigs and place in containers much like a Christmas tree but then add Easter-like roosters, hens, birds of all kinds, butterflies, and of course, colourful eggs.
WI president Anne Christie said: “It’s been suggested that the feather twigs represent the palm leaves that were placed on the ground for Jesus’donkey to walk on his triumphant return to Jerusalem celebrated on Palm Sunday. Since there are as many palm trees in Sweden as there are in Minnesota (outdoor palm trees to be precise), this was the best they could do to imitate this tradition!”
WI members and friends have been decorating trees in their gardens and windows – all in the spirit of bringing a bit of cheer and a talking point for Gargunnock. Given the difficult weather conditions recently, it is particularly apt that the project has been partially funded by the nearby wind farm through the Falck Renewables Kingsburn
Community Fund, administered by the Gargunnock Community Trust.
In the village square, there are trees decorated with baubles and hand-made tokens. At the church, there is also memorial tree for people to tie written messages in memory of relatives or friends who have passed - something the village feels important for people who have been restricted in attending funerals during this last year.
There is also a competition for children to enter their own artwork and display it in their home windows.
Anne added:“We hope villagers will enjoy wandering round the village during Easter weekend, taking time to find all the windows and trees. The displays will continue throughout the month of April – weather permitting.”