Pysanky

I start as a plain, smooth egg, waiting in a basket. Warm, gentle hands pick me up. A special tool, like a tiny pen, draws secret lines on me. It uses warm, sweet-smelling beeswax. Then, splash. I take a bath in a bright color, like sunshine yellow or grassy green. The wax keeps parts of me white. I do not know what I will look like yet, but I feel something wonderful is happening. I am becoming a Pysanka.

For thousands of years, long before your grandparents were born, people in a place called Ukraine have been making eggs like me. They make me to celebrate the sunshine and new flowers of spring. They use a special tool called a kistka to draw with wax. Each drawing is a secret wish. A little sun means warmth and happiness. Tiny triangles can mean a happy family. After my yellow bath, more wax lines are drawn to save the yellow color. Then I take a bath in red. It is a happy secret, passed down from mothers to their children every springtime, especially for a holiday called Easter.

When all the colors are on me, I am gently warmed. The dark wax melts away to show my beautiful rainbow patterns. Wow. I am not an egg for eating. I am a gift of love and good wishes. I am given to friends and family to bring them joy and luck for the new year. I am a tiny piece of art that holds big feelings of hope. Even today, I help people share their love, connecting hearts with my bright colors and happy wishes.