The Timeless Tradition of Easter Eggs
From Ancient Persia to Latvian Family Table
By Dr. Juris Bunkis, Medical Director, Orange County Plastic Surgery Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia
As I sat decorating Easter eggs this week in the Latvian tradition—boiling them in onion skins and tying the skins around the shells with bits of string to create beautiful marbled patterns—I found myself reminiscing about doing the very same thing as a child. My mother taught me, just as her mother had taught her, and I suspect the tradition goes back many generations before that.
Eggs have long been associated with spring festivals and the celebration of new life. Traditions of decorating eggs can be traced to ancient Egypt and Persia, where eggs symbolized fertility, rebirth, and the renewal of the earth after winter. Even today, beautifully decorated eggs remain part of the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, celebrating spring and fresh beginnings.
In early Christian times, eggs were often colored red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Over time, other colors came to represent different aspects of the Easter story—yellow for the resurrection and blue for God’s love. Across Eastern Europe, the ancient art of wax-resist egg decorating, known as pysanky, became especially associated with Easter in Ukraine, where the intricate designs themselves carry symbolic meaning.
In Latvia, the tradition remains wonderfully intact today. Onion skins are still the most common natural dye, producing shades from rich amber to deep brown. My family learned to place onion skins directly against the egg and secure them with thread, resulting in the magnificent blotchy and marbled patterns that make each egg unique. Other natural dyes are also used—beetroot for soft pinks, red cabbage for blues, turmeric for golden yellow, and walnut shells for deeper earthy browns. Some families place leaves, grasses, or tiny flowers against the shell before wrapping, creating delicate silhouettes once the egg is unwrapped.
What I love most about this tradition is not simply the beauty of the finished eggs, but the connection it creates across generations. In a fast-moving modern world, these simple rituals remind us where we come from and allow us to pass a piece of our family story to the next generation.
Wishing you and your family a joyful Easter season filled with renewal, warmth, and beautiful traditions.
Preparing the Easter eggs, applying the onion skins, prior to boiling.
Decorated Latvian Easter eggs.
Spring Is Breast Augmentation Season: 5 Things to Avoid Before Choosing Your Surgeon
By Dr. Deborah Ekstrom
Orange County Plastic Surgery, Corona del Mar/Newport Beach
Quick Quiz
Let’s begin with a quick quiz.
Which of the following is the MOST important factor when choosing a breast augmentation surgeon?
A. Lowest price
B. Largest implant options
C. Social media popularity
D. Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery ✅
E. Fastest recovery promise
Correct Answer: D
Spring is one of the busiest seasons for breast augmentation consultations. Many women plan surgery now so they are fully healed and confident for summer vacations, weddings, and swim season. While breast augmentation remains one of the most rewarding procedures we perform, choosing the right surgeon and plan is everything.
Here are five things to avoid when considering breast augmentation:
1. Avoid a surgeon without proper board certification.
Your surgeon should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, ensuring extensive training in both aesthetic surgery and patient safety.
2. Avoid surgeons who skip a full medical evaluation.
A proper history, physical examination, medication review, and appropriate pre-operative labs are essential. Safe surgery starts well before the operating room.
3. Avoid bargain implants and corner-cutting protocols.
Quality implants, sterile operating conditions, board-certified anesthesia professionals, and IV antibiotics during surgery are non-negotiable for optimal outcomes and safety.
4. Avoid anyone who talks you into surgery.
The best consultation is a collaborative conversation. Surgery should be your decision, based on your goals—not sales pressure.
5. Avoid implants that are too large for your frame.
Beautiful breast augmentation is about proportion, balance, and long-term elegance. Oversized implants can stretch tissues and age poorly over time.
The best results come from thoughtful planning, beautiful proportionality, and a surgeon who prioritizes your safety as much as your aesthetic outcome.
Spring is the season of renewal—and for many women, it is the perfect time to feel refreshed, confident, and ready for summer.
View Before & After Photos
Dr. Ekstrom’s breast augmentation photo gallery can be viewed here:
https://gallery.orangecountyplasticsurgery.com/photos/breastaugmentation/
If you have considered breast augmentation, we invite you to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Ekstrom to discuss whether breast augmentation is right for you.
Orange County Plastic Surgery
Corona del Mar / Newport Beach
Natural results. Thoughtful care. Private consultations.
Orange County Plastic Surgery at CosmetiCare
1101 Bayside Drive, Suite 200
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Take the elevator to the second floor (Suite 200) and check in with the front desk for your consultation or follow-up.
Free Parking Available.
