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This Easter will be unlike any I have ever known, and not just for me. People worldwide have been asked to celebrate Easter at home. Family gatherings may be small or even non-existent, and very different.
Those cute yet slightly weird Easter photos of the kids with the Easter bunny? Nope, none of those this year. There won’t be any big neighborhood, club, or church-sponsored egg hunts this year. For me personally, there will be no extended family Easter celebrations or in-person church services.
An Opportunity for Appreciation
Yes, Easter at home will be different. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, doing things differently can transform our tired, go-through-the-motions traditions, into something special and meaningful.
This year, I am looking at Easter through a different lens, one that I feel will tone down the commercialization from the holiday and help me dive deep into Easter’s true meaning. Our Easter will be an intimate one, and that’s okay.
I am determined to make the most of the holiday to enjoy an even deeper connection to the sacred, as well as with my family. I’ll just be doing so in a slightly different way.
Here are some ideas for helping make your Easter celebration – whether large or small, sacred or secular – a very special and meaningful day.
1. Connect with a church service online.
My church has been doing a wonderful job creating a digital liturgy, with songs, readings, prayers of the people, and an online sermon. We’ll be participating in that on Easter Sunday, as we have these last few Sundays.
If you belong to a church, the chances are good that you have something similar available to you. If you aren’t a regular church attender but are feeling the desire to join with others in prayer and celebration this year, do a Google search for “online Easter services 2020”. Lots and lots of options will come up. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a service that will mesh with your faith tradition. 
2. Send a basket to your grandkids and watch them open it.
Giving Easter baskets filled with goodies is something that so many grandparents enjoy. Though you may not be able to hand over those baskets in person, you can still send Easter goodies to the granddarlings. (Mine will be getting some Easter-themed books). You can also use online conference services like Skype, FaceTime or Zoom to watch them open your presents
3. Do less this year.
This year I plan to do less for Easter. I’ll be spending less on food, decorations, and gifts. I’ll be taking that money I’ve saved and donating it to a local charity. Times are tough for many people right now. If you’re in a position to help others, donating the money you’ve saved by doing less can help make Easter more meaningful to a local family or charity in your area. It’ll make Easter more meaningful for you as well!
4. An indoor scavenger hunt.
There won’t be any kiddos with us on Easter. But if there were, I’d definitely organize an indoor or backyard scavenger hunt. And if eggs are still easy to find in your area, I encourage you to color them and host an old fashioned egg hunt inside with your family. Oh, and if you’re unable to get egg dye kits, the Skip To My Lou blog has a great post on how to dye eggs with food coloring. No food coloring in the house? Martha Stewart can tell you how to dye eggs with natural colorings.
5. Get your garden on!
If you’re able to get out, Purchase some flowers and make a pretty arrangement for the table. My post from a couple of years back will show you how to make your own floral arrangement.
Another option for those who are able to leave the house is to buy some flowers or veggie plants and begin your garden for the year. If shopping isn’t an option, just getting out and weeding some of the garden beds is a great idea. Digging in the dirt is a wonderful way to remind oneself of the renewal promised by Easter. 
6. Make a special dessert.
Even if you’re stuck at home, you can still enjoy a special Easter dessert. And I think you should! It might year be hard to get out and find all the treats you are used to having, so maybe it’s time to make your own? Check out these marshmallow peeps! Or these carrot cake bars! Click at your own risk! Definitely not helping me lose weight with these, but carrots are a vegetable, right?
7. Cook the same menu and eat together via skype with your family.
Decide on your Easter menu and cook it in your home but enjoy it with your family. Technology might not be as intimate as having your sister at the table with her family, but this is what we get to work with this year and I encourage you to embrace it! Zoom and Skype are great options for hosting a call with multiple people. 
8. Watch an Easter Movie.
When I was growing up, The Ten Commandments movie was an Easter staple. We watched it every year. But there are a lot of Easter movies out there, and some you may not have thought of. Whether you want a movie with a faith focus, or feel-good flick, or just lots and lots of bunnies, Oprah Magazine has lots of options.
9. Send an Easter prayer or devotion to your kids to read and share with their families.
If Easter is a faith-focused holiday for your family, consider sharing some seasonal prayers, readings, or devotions with your loved ones. Read them aloud and talk through them over an intimate brunch or after watching church on tv. If you’re spending Easter alone, you can still enjoy a devotional time with your family or friends over the phone or during a computer conference.
10. Listen to Easter Music.
I kid you not, my husband has been going on and on about how this Easter at home will be okay because he has the music part covered. For him, it wouldn’t be Easter if we didn’t listen to “Christ the Lord Has Risen Today”. He’s got our playlist ready to go! Maybe now is the time for you to think about what special music and songs will play a role in your Easter soundtrack.
Friends, though this Easter will likely be different than any you’ve celebrated before, it still can and should be a wonderful holiday. I hope that you’ll use a few of my suggestions for celebrating Easter at home to help make your holiday a meaningful and joyous occasion.
Happy Easter to all!
