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Family Easter Traditions (Old & New)

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As my oldest son nears adulthood, I am increasingly aware of the fact that our days spent together are numbered.  This awareness has led me to become almost fanatical about making every special occasion and holiday extra fun and memorable.  So, despite the fact that we have celebrated several Easter seasons together, I am still on the hunt for traditions I can introduce that my children can carry on with their own families or that will draw them back home to celebrate with us.  Happily, I have stumbled upon several great ones, which I am happy to share in the hopes everyone can enjoy a joyous Easter this year (and for years to come).

Classical Easter Traditions

First, let’s go over the classical traditions just in case some of you were deprived as children or just awoke from a coma with amnesia and don’t have this information already.

  1. Decorating eggs
  2. Easter Sunday church service
  3. Easter baskets
  4. Easter egg hunt
  5. Easter dinner (usually ham, a couple of sides, and rolls)

New Easter Traditions

Now, here are a few that you might be new to you (they were new to me).

  1. Non-Traditional Egg Decorating – click here to check out different ways to color your eggs and click here for other egg decorating techniques.
Different Egg Decorating Techniques from UCreate
Different Egg Decorating Techniques from UCreate
colored Easter eggs in a yellow bowl
Colored Easter Eggs from Improvements Catalog
  • Magical Chicks and Magical Jellybeans – the chicks (made from plastic eggs) lay magic jellybeans, which you plant and they bloom overnight into lollipops!
  • Magical Chicks from Meet the Dubiens
    Magical Chicks from Meet the Dubiens
  • Magical Jellybeans – another variation, skipping the bean-laying chicks and planting the beans outside.
  • Magic Jellybean Lollipop from See Jane Blog
    Magic Jellybean Lollipop from See Jane Blog
  • You’ve Been Egged! — a dose of fun mischief.  Leave Easter treats for an unsuspecting friend/neighbor.
  • You've Been Egged by Mother's Niche
    You’ve Been Egged by Mother’s Niche
  • Egg Wars – hard boiled egg vs. hard boiled egg in a war to crack the other without suffering any damage.
  • Egg Wars from Toddler Approved
    Egg Wars from Toddler Approved
  • Easter Tree – trim a tree (inside or outside the house) with decorated eggs.
  • Easter Tree from the First Hundred
    Easter Tree from the First Hundred
  • Bunny Tracks – an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to leave bunny footprints from the Easter Bunny’s visit, showing his path as he hid the eggs and/or basket.
  • Bunny Tracks by Mommyhood to Hollywood
    Bunny Tracks by Mommyhood to Hollywood
  • Jelly Bean Trail – same concept as bunny tracks but using jelly beans for the trail.
  • Grow Easter Grass – this takes 10 days so start now if you are going to try it this year!
  • Jelly Bean Prayer Jar – a great goody to include in your child’s Easter basket that also delivers a message about the true meaning of Easter.
  • Jelly Bean Jar from mama jenn
    Jelly Bean Jar from mama jenn

    Christ-Centered Easter Traditions

    For several really fun and interesting traditions that celebrate the religious meaning of the holiday, check out 12 Christ-Centered Easter Traditions from the Happy Home Fairy.  My favorite is the Easter Garden, complete with Jesus’ tomb from which the stone blocking it is mysteriously moved out of the way on Easter Sunday.

    Easter Garden from Happy Home Fairy
    Easter Garden from Happy Home Fairy

    History Behind Easter Traditions

    And for those of you with enquiring minds, or who have inquisitive kids, you can find the history behind the classical Easter traditions here (e.g. how bunnies, eggs, and chocolate became associated with this religious holiday).

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