“In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it you’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.”

This is the first line of a song called “Easter Parade” sung by Bing Crosby in the movie “Holiday Inn” from 1942.

The song describes a woman dressed up in her Sunday best and decorated hat. It is a joyful celebration of springtime renewal, fashion and the annual Easter Parade In New York City.

Easter in the spring of 1942 the United States was fighting World War II. Wages were 30 cents per hour. A new car cost about $920 and a gallon of gas cost 20 cents. A loaf of bread was 9 cents. Going to the movies was about 30 cents a ticket.

Easter in 1942 was influenced by the war. It was a time of rationing sugar, cocoa and coffee. Chocolate Easter candy was very hard to find. Traditional Easter egg hunts remained a staple of American life. With strict rationing in effect, hard-boiled then dyed eggs were replaced by painted wooden eggs or decorated Easter trees.

Many church services that Easter featured patriotic themes. In 1942 approximately 1,061,000 officers and enlisted men were stationed outside the United States. That number of men and women who served our country would grow to peak over 16 million by the end of the war in 1945. America was filled with tremendous patriotism.

In 1942, Easter fell on Sunday, April 5.

Let’s fast forward to tomorrow, Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026.

Times have changed.

We are now the cornerstone of the modern digital era. Technology is deeply embedded in the fabric of everyday life. Cellphones, computers, nearly self-driving cars, GPS so we don’t get lost and artificial intelligence are extending our human capabilities. In this modern world you could even find a robotic Easter Bunny to hide the eggs.

One fact of 1942 remaining with us today is that the United States is involved in a military conflict.

Now 84 years later the meaning is still the same for the Easter holiday. We may not be parading down New York City in our bonnet, but we still hold Easter as a joyful holiday. A day to celebrate rebirth, to go to our church of choice and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, and to enjoy the coming of spring with the tulips and daffodils. We will have egg hunts with real eggs and eat chocolate covered bunnies with no thought of rationing as was in 1942.

Let’s share love, peace and joy this season, and like that Easter in 1942 keep the patriotism alive by supporting fellow citizens and promoting our nation’s values throughout the year.

Mary Tobia is an occasional writer for the Times News. Reach her at tneditor@tnonline.com