If it's folklore or music, there's no limit on copy-paste messages - and this one was particularly interesting.

Evangelical Christians have a problem with practices that have pagan roots. Progressive Christians aren't hesitant to admit that many of our richest traditions have pagan roots. I suppose some neopagans have questions who adapt practices that were originally pagan, but why not? Don't we all come from non-Christian roots, and must we abandon the good parts of our past when we change religion?

I was also wondering about eggs that have been emptied of their contents and then carved or otherwise decorated - how old a tradition is that?

Rob Naylor, you can find a variety of Polish and German sausages in the larger cities of the Midwest US. The factory-made kielbasa I get here in California is (regrettably) nothing like what I grew up with in the Milwaukee area. I do have to admit that Johnsonville makes a variety of bratwurst that compare well to the brats I grew up with. Johnsonville distributes bratwurst widely throughout the US.

-Joe-