making easter bunny artwork (to give parents), visit to the easter bunny, a lot of creative work drawing/coloring eggs, watching easter cartoons, having to go to bed early for the easter bunny to come, skipping church, waking up really early and then waking each other up, having a hunt for hidden eggs--which was a lot of laughing and not competitive and usually ended when no one could find the remaining eggs and hints would be given, hunting down hidden easter baskets (the baskets were big, antique, and each made up according to the individual kid--right down to color and we couldn't open them until everyone found them . . . and they were hidden good, mine was red.), get some simple cheap toys to play with as a group and a stuffed bunny rabbit or something, big huge meal with varieties of meat and sides and getting stuffed, family everyone visiting, eating candy and chocolates and eggs until we were all sick, playing games as a family, and finally passing out from sugar shock watching movies.
While the focus as children was about easter as creativity, relationships, magic, mystery, family, love, and receiving free gifts, I also liked that in later years we have become part of the helping and serving part.
A lot of it really made the idea of grace and love and accepting free gifts really connected with easter. If I had a family, I would do all that and some other ideas I have. I was thinking maybe including an easter hugging game. Or where you make construction paper artwork to give as gifts to each other to say what good things you see in each other in your family. I think I would also include making a tradition of reading picturebooks--some of the various fun bunny stories, but also some that tell about Jesus, his kindness, love, and his gift of dying for us and coming back to life and how that is magical and a free gift too. We were told about Jesus, but it was until later that it kindof connected. Jesus dying? Dying eggs? I would definitely keep the skipping church part going! lol. (well, unless maybe our church was about love and relationships and seeing friends, and giving artwork, then we would have to go see everyone . . . which is what my new church is like, so I think this will be one of my first easter church services.) Maybe also some other things for adults, and growing up rite of passage stuff. For example, alcohol wasn't part of the family, but I think I would include that too--symbolic, fun, and yet something demonstrated in moderation with self-control instead of it being either/or, which is part of adulthood.
times like easter gave me the best memories and made me think I had a family more perfect than anyone else on the planet. I think during easter week I did.
everyone else is really sick bad this year--I'm kindof worried--so I feel sad that much will have to be cancelled. nonetheless, I have some ideas to still make it special for them. moo hoo haa haa.
