This spring everything feels so different. In the middle of social distancing, birthday parties postponed, and no gatherings, one of the first things that hit me was Easter. I LOVE celebrating Easter, and we have traditions that we observe every year that are so meaningful and fun for our family. I started thinking about ways that we could make the day feel like Easter since some of the normal ways we celebrate aren’t possible this year.
Watch an Easter service on-line: Lots of churches, including our own, are streaming Easter services Sunday morning. We are going to watch ours Easter Sunday morning, and the service will still be an Easter service, just altered with no congregation and with other measures to observe social distancing. Even though the world feels upside down right now, the religious meaning of Easter hasn’t changed.
Dye or decorate eggs: In the days before Easter, we’ll still dye or decorate eggs as usual. We’ll do all of the regular crafty things we would usually do at home, and then put them out for decoration. For children with egg allergies, there are keepsake eggs you can dye or decorate too.
Have a social distance Easter egg hunt with neighbors and friends: Talk with friends you might usually have an Easter Egg hunt with and see if they want to have a social distance hunt. Children can put stuffed bunnies or other stuffed animals in their windows or in their yard, or they can decorate paper eggs and put them in their windows. Drive by your friend’s houses who are participating and see what Easter animals and eggs your children can find!
Send Easter Cards to family or friends: Residents of nursing homes aren’t able to have visitors, which can be so hard for both the residents and their family members. Before Easter, consider making and sending Easter cards to friends of family members in nursing homes or who are in the hospital.
Prepare special Easter food: We have a tradition of making treats using white chocolate and pretzels to make little nests, then we fill them with mini chocolate eggs or rabbit Peeps. When I told our boys that we would need to stay home for Easter, they both said, “Let’s still make the Easter egg treats!” Whatever your favorite Easter foods are to make, keep those traditions alive! Or if you want to scale them back, have an Easter picnic with some of your favorite Easter foods, or an Easter charcuterie board.
Connect with extended family and friends: Lots of families usually have gatherings of family or friends over for Easter. My mom usually comes to visit for the whole Easter week-end, and we were all sad that this couldn’t happen this year. Set up a family zoom, FaceTime, or other ways to talk with the family that you would usually see on Easter.
Take a family Easter picture: Even though this Easter is so different, it will be one that we will always remember. If a neighbor is available, ask them to take a family picture (from a distance)! Lots of people are taking pictures of their families on their front porch to remember this time in history.
Although this season is unlike any other Easter, doing some of these fun activities can help keep Easter meaningful and fun. And while the children are playing with goodies from their Easter basket, maybe the moms can break into the Cadbury eggs or get a nap! Happy Easter!
