For many, the Easter holiday is all about a bunny who brings eggs (try explaining that to a chicken), candy galore and dying eggs. While all of this is fun and enjoyable and should be embraced as a time of family festivities, there are those who celebrate the Easter holiday out of faith. To many, Easter is a religious celebration.
Keeping the faith
Passing on your faith and religious beliefs to your children is done more by living these beliefs than by any other means. Easter is a wonderful opportunity to do just that in ways children can enjoy and relate to…
Fill plastic eggs with candy and short verses from the Bible.
Fill plastic eggs with small gifts that remind them of who Jesus is.
Have your children make a ‘story of Jesus’ bracelet (you can get the kits from Oriental Trading).
Make “He is Risen” treats with your children:
- Unroll 1 pkg. of crescent roll dough as directed
- Place 1 large marshmallow at the large end of the roll and roll according to directions
- Bake as directed
- Remove from oven and serve
As you and your children are preparing your treats, remind them that Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, but that on the third day, he rose again and was alive. When you remove the rolls from the oven, the marshmallow will have melted, leaving behind only a sweet filling–just as Jesus fills our lives.
- Make “Easter Story Cookies” using the recipe you will find here.
Here comes the Easter bunny
- For those of you who prefer to keep things on a secular level, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the Easter holiday–including a trip to see the Easter Bunny at the mall or local shopping center.
- A family egg hunt-invite extended family members and have a team competition
- Dye eggs or use self-stick foam shapes to decorate the like different animals or characters
- Assemble a large Easter basket filled with candy and other goodies for a homeless shelter
- Fill plastic eggs with clues that lead kids to a treasure-a basket filled with inexpensive toys and games (and a little candy, too)
- Have a big party for all their friends complete with games, decorations and lots of treats
- Enjoy a family cookout and outdoor games (egg toss, etc.) with prizes being chocolate rabbits or other favorite Easter treats
- Have an egg cook-off. Gather family and friends for a contest of who can create the most unusual and yummy tasting dish using eggs
Celebrate family
No matter what your personal views are, making the most of holiday celebrations to spend special and quality time with your children and other family members is never a bad thing. So enjoy, embrace, and celebrate.