Easter finest

I have one enduring memory of Easter time aside from my dad’s stage management of the services: New clothes. Every year, my parents bought me a new suit for Easter day. This was at a time when people wore their best clothes to church on a normal Sunday, so Easter clothes had to be even better. While I frequently needed new clothes because I was growing, I also always thought that I had to have a new Easter outfit because I was the preacher’s kid; I don’t know if that’s true, because I never asked.

At any rate, after Easter, this would become my best outfit, though I don’t remember actually wearing them anywhere aside from church. I liked dressing up for Sunday school and church, and over the years I amassed quite a collection of little ties and bow ties (all clip on). I think they’re all gone, but I still have the tie bars, tie tacks and cufflinks from those years.

I don’t remember ever mentioning this new suit thing to my schoolmates; I thought that it wasn’t a good idea, a bit like gloating. And, anyway, I just assumed they probably all got new clothes, too—it’s not like I’d know, since I never saw them on Sundays.

I also don’t even remember when this all stopped, but it was sometime in my teens. Nowadays, I can go years without buying a new suit—but, then, I almost never have reason to wear one, either.

The photo accompanying this post is another slide I scanned—and a bit of a mystery. It’s date-stamped “Jan 1964,” but I don’t know what year’s Easter it actually shows. Easter in 1964 was on March 29, which would mean my parents bought my suit two months early, and I just can’t remember them being that organised. On the other hand, if it was taken in 1963, and they just didn’t get it developed until the following January, it would mean I was 4 years old (and nearly three months, since Easter that year was on April 14). I’m leaning to this second option, though maybe my sister remembers.

Speaking of which, my sister was standing next to me in the photo, but I cropped her out because, of course, I don’t include photos or details of others without their permission. Besides: I was rather dapper that year, so why should I share the spotlight?