When most people think about Easter, they think of fancy dresses, bunnies, and chocolate eggs. As Christians, we know it’s a celebration of so much more - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, one of the cornerstones of our faith. Holy Week is a time to prepare our hearts to rejoice in this epic story of triumph.
Here are just a handful of ways we prepare for Easter in our family.
FAITH
We attend church. I grew up in a less traditional church where we didn’t commemorate Holy Week with special services. However, many of my friends’ churches hold special services during Holy Week for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, or Good Friday. It is such a pleasure for my family to experience the holiday in a new way by attending some of these services. It gives us an appreciation for the way different Christian churches worship this time of year.
We read books and watch DVDs. In the weeks leading up to Easter we read picture books, Bible passages, and watch videos that tell the story of the cross. Our favorites videos are: Veggie Tales: 'Twas The Night Before Easter, VeggieTales: An Easter Carol and for the grown-ups, The Passion of the Christ. Books include: Benjamin’s Box and Lily’s Easter Party.
FOOD
We host a Seder. Three years ago, our family hosted our first Passover Seder. Traditionally held by Jewish families, Passover commemorates God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. As believers in Christ, we recount the story of the Exodus, and also take communion, acknowledging the new covenant and recognizing that Jesus stepped into the role of the final Passover lamb for us. Because Jesus’s blood that was shed for us at Calvary, we no longer do we need the blood of an animal sacrifice to atone for our sins.
We make Easter cookies. Each component of the recipe represents of a part of the Easter story. Corresponding scriptures enhance the experience as we touch, taste and smell the ingredients. Once complete, the cookies are placed in the oven to set over night. In the morning, we enjoy tasty treats that are hollow inside…just like Jesus’ tomb.
FUN
We hunt for Easter Eggs. Every year my kids have so much fun hunting for treats on Easter morning. Last year, we replaced the dyed eggs we typically hide with Resurrection Eggs. These are twelve colored plastic eggs that contain a small object, each one symbolic of Christ’s journey to the cross and beyond. A few of the items include: silver coins, a purple cloth, thorns, rope, and a cross.
The attention our culture gives to stuffed rabbits and colorful candy can dilute the reason we participate in Easter. <<Click to Tweet
As parents we can prevent this by teaching our children why Easter is such an important holiday to observe. We can do this by simply sharing our faith, enjoying good food, and having fun together.
Kimberly Amici is an enthusiastic and dedicated founding member of the Circles of Faith team. She is known for her creativity, strong faith, and commitment to living life with purpose and passion. Kimberly is a writer and community builder whose desire is for hearts to be healed, minds to be renewed and women to be connected in fellowship just as God intended.