02/04/2026
Happy Easter!
Melissa here—an American who swapped white Easter eggs for beach walks in New Zealand about 20 years ago 🇺🇸➡️🇳🇿
Growing up, Easter meant carefully dyeing white eggs in the kitchen and hunting down wicker baskets stuffed with chocolate and marshmallow eggs… the kind of stash that somehow lasted a whole month (or at least that was the goal 😄).
Fast forward to life in New Zealand—where, to my surprise, white eggs are basically nonexistent and Easter comes with a bonus: Good Friday to Easter Monday off, whether you celebrate or not (still not mad about that!).
Over the years, so much has changed. I’ve had moments of missing those childhood traditions, the familiar smells and rituals. But I’ve also gained something really special—a new family, new traditions, and a new way of celebrating.
Now Easter looks like Whiritoa beach walks, chocolate egg hunts in the backyard, big family roasts, and long afternoons of card games and puzzles. It’s different… but it’s full, warm, and full of love.
It’s been a journey of letting go, holding onto the sweet memories, and embracing the beautiful life I have here.
And honestly? Chocolate still features heavily—so some things never change 💛
