3 Memorable Easter Traditions

Easter is just a few weeks away. This year is shaping up to be a bit different from all the other years. Due to COVID-19, churches will be closed and we will not be attending a Sunday service. Thankfully, our church has been posting the sermons online.

I am still planning on making Easter special and memorable for my family. Our traditions will help us celebrate this important day in our faith. Getting dressed up, looking for Easter baskets, attending a worship service, and enjoy brunch with family are ways we observe this holiday.

My family has already done these 3 Simple + Meaningful Easter Traditions. Now, I am preparing for the weekend which starts with Good Friday and ends on Easter Sunday.

Good Friday

On Good Friday at 3 pm we turn off all the lights in the house. We only use flashlights and candles until Sunday morning to symbolize the death of Jesus. This is a tangible way for our girls to understand that Jesus died and was buried.

It is important to us that the girls realize that before we can celebrate Jesus being alive we must mourn and acknowledge the suffering that Christ endured because of our sin. After dinner, we read Matthew 27:1-54 from the Bible. Friday night is somber as we get ready for bed with flashlights in hand.

Easter Baskets

When our oldest two girls were toddlers, we had them find their Easter baskets on Sunday mornings. This made for a mad dash to get ready for church. The girls didn’t have any time to play with their gifts. I was trying to get them in their cute matching dresses and stay clean before we jumped in the car.

One memorable Easter in Wisconsin, when the girls were 4 + 2 years old I was literally pulling a toddler out from under the kitchen table. She had hid under there in her Easter dress eating her chocolate bunny before church. Lesson learned.

Now, our Saturday morning begins with each girl hunting for their Easter basket. The girls find their baskets on Saturday morning so that Sunday’s focus is on the Resurrection of Jesus. I enjoy finding a few fun gifts to put in each girl’s basket.

Ideally, I like to give the girls gifts that use their creativity, inspire play, encourage reading, or require time to complete.

Easter Basket Gift Ideas

• The Green Ember
• Behold the Lamb of God CD
• Pur Gum
• Highlights Easter Activity Pack
• Chocolate Bunny
• Craft Kits
• Spring Lego Sets

After they find their hidden Easter baskets, they usually spend the rest of the morning building, playing, and reading. Opening their baskets on Saturday gives them plenty of time to enjoy the gifts and eat their chocolate bunny.

Easter Brunch

Easter Sunday is the culmination of our celebrations. Lights get turned back on, we get ready for church, enjoy an early service and come home for a big brunch with family. Instead of the traditional Easter dinner, we celebrate with crepes.

Part of the fun of making crepes is that it takes many hands. The girls and I like to contribute even though my parents host us all at their home. I enjoy prepping the sweet crepe bar while my mom makes multiple savory crepes.

My oldest, Adelynn, is in charge of making the crepes. She makes a full recipe for the savory crepes and another full recipe for the sweet crepes. It is a lot of work but she uses an electric crepe maker to speed up the process. The younger two girls help with cutting up fruit and making fresh whipped cream.

savory crepes

The girls like plain flavored savory crepes. Their favorite crepe has egg + ham + cheese inside. The adults like to sample more adventurous flavors.

Here are the recipes for some of our favorite savory crepes:

• Savory Mushroom, Spinach & Cheese Crepes
• Savory Pesto Mushroom Crepe
• Spinach Artichoke and Brie Crepes with Sweet Honey Sauce
• Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Crepes

SWEET CREPE BAR

This is everyone’s favorite part of the meal. My mom + I gather lots of fun toppings and each person can enjoy their sweet crepe just how they like.

The toppings we use are:

• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Raspberries
• Nutella
• Lemon Curd
• Whipped Cream
• Cinnamon & Sugar
• Maple Syrup

Wrapping up

Food is always an important part of our celebrations. It is fun to look forward to crepes on Easter. I like that we choose non-traditional foods for our holiday meals. Sitting around the table to enjoy great food + great family keeps us connected to one another.

What is your favorite Easter tradition?