Family traditions can be the glue which holds a family together. This is particularly true when it comes to traditions concerning holidays. Many families wonder how to celebrate Easter more meaningfully as well as the other holidays throughout the year.
Rather than focusing on the Easter candy the children will receive and eat, focus more on spending time with family. This is one way to celebrate Easter more meaningfully. Visit family members you may not have seen lately, especially those who may be infirm, in a retirement home, or a nursing home. Pick up an elderly family member and take them with you to religious services.
Most people realize that Easter is a religious holiday. For Christians, this means they attend either a sunrise service which symbolizes when Jesus was thought to have risen from the grave, or they attend a religious service later on in the day. The point is that they gather together as a family to commemorate Jesus’ death and resurrection on their behalf.
After church services many families have Easter egg hunts for the children in the family. Of course, many communities and churches offer Easter egg hunts the Saturday before Easter, but that doesn’t preclude your family from having their own. Children will often prefer the egg hunts their own family puts together over community events.
While the women in the family are preparing the Easter meal, the men of the family could go outside and hide Easter eggs for the children. Don’t let them make all of the eggs too easy to find; have them place some in harder places for the older children. They may also want to add a few coins to some of the eggs to give the children an extra surprise.
Food is such an important part of most holidays, and this is true for Easter, too. Try to plan the meal around foods which are traditional to your own family. Perhaps there used to be a particular dish which everyone looked forward to each Easter. Find the recipe and make that dish. Not only will it provide nourishment for your family, you can also use it to recreate an old tradition.
Easter is often seen as a time of rebirth. What better time to celebrate the holiday and welcome spring by planting a few trees, flowers, or perennial plants in a part of your yard dedicated to Easter. Welcoming spring in this way, as well as recognizing the images of rebirth associated with the holiday, may become a treasured family tradition.
Families are often running in many directions during the week. It’s during holidays such as Easter that they are able to come back together. When deciding how to celebrate Easter more meaningfully, try to include all members of the family. Tradition may be important, but it’s the people we share our lives with that truly make celebrating the holiday meaningful.