Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: The Pink Easter Duck, Southern California, 1957

The Pink Easter Duck, Southern California, 1957

Neighboring rooftops, a Queen Anne palm and a wood fence, white-washed like Tom Sawyer was just there, provide a perfect backyard backdrop for a young man sporting a tight plaid shirt with a tiny, bias-cut patch pocket. While all the other kids were dyeing eggs for Easter he was dyeing the family pet duck. The rare hot pink quacker is proudly shown semi-caged in a plastic turquoise laundry basket. The unusual tradition continued every Easter until the duck died.

Speaking of eggs, Easter is the biggest day of the year for incredible edible treat. But unlike every other day of the year when were buying what’s inside, for Easter we’re only interested in what’s on the outside — the shell. We gleefully colorize and embellish them then play hide and seek with them in the garden.

Like Christmas, Valentines Day and Halloween, you can’t celebrate Easter without candy. But unlike those other holidays on Easter you don’t have to work for it. In fact, you don’t even get asked if you’ve been naughty or nice. Seduction and trick or treating aren’t involved either. On Easter candy is beautifully presented by the brightly-colored basket-full packed in shredded plastic called Easter grass and wrapped in cellophane.

This isn’t just any old kind of candy either, it’s Easter specific. The egg shape is popular, almost as popular as the superstar of the holiday, the Easter bunny. He appears on his big day countless forms but never more importantly than in chocolate.

Here’s to Easter eggs, bunnies, bonnets, pink ducks and you!

Charles Phoenix

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