Ideas to Make a Stay at Home Easter Special

The prospect of celebrating Easter or Resurrection Sunday as just our family without our usual church activities or extended family get-togethers has had me feeling a little down. So in an effort to make the day still special I am creating a list of things for us to do at home. So here is what I have planned for our at home Easter so far.

Wake Up Before Sunrise

When I was growing up we would often head out early in the morning for a sunrise service. It is such a special memory for me even though we were usually always freezing cold. In recent years the church we attend has not done this, but I think it would be fun if we did our own sunrise service this year as a family. It would just be very simple; gather on the deck where we can see the sunrise, read a passage of the Bible and maybe sing a hymn or two. This plan would be dependent on the weather forecast, if it is going to be cloudy we probably won’t do it.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:1-6

Have a Nice Breakfast

A special, yummy breakfast is a great way to set the mood for the day. I will probably make a simple egg casserole, homemade cinnamon rolls and fruit. Of course I will also use a tablecloth and set the table nicely; maybe I will even get out my Grandmother’s china!

Livestream Church Service

Since we are unable to meet in person for services our church has been having online services and they are planning something special for Easter. It is not the same as actually meeting, and we are already missing the real thing, but we are grateful for the opportunity to stay connected. I would encourage you to find an online service to participate in as well.

Scripture Easter Egg Hunt

This is basically a regular egg hunt with the addition of little slips of paper with Bible verses about the Resurrection inside the eggs in addition to the usual chocolate and treats. I think it is especially important this year to keep reminding ourselves of the source of all our hope and joy!

Read Aloud an Easter Story

I have this beautiful book simply called Easter that we will read aloud. It is the Resurrection story straight from the Bible with beautiful illustrations. If you want other ideas there are lovely lists of Easter books here and here and here.

Call Family

We will try to make phone or video calls to as many family members as we can during the day to help us feel more connected. Some family members without good internet I will just call on the phone, but for others I am hoping hubby will help set up a Zoom or Facebook video call.

Nice Dinner

What can a say? Good food makes us happy. I haven’t decided on our menu completely yet. Depending on what is available at our local grocery store I would like to cook a nice leg of lamb or a roast, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus or candied carrots and a salad.

Dessert

Lemons always remind me of spring; they are so fresh and bright. So for our Easter dessert I am planning a lemon meringue pie. Now I’m just hoping I can get all the ingredients at the store. My back up plan is a strawberry pie, using strawberries that are in my freezer from last summer.

I hope I have inspired you to take a few extra steps to make the celebration of our Saviors Resurrection special this year. What are you planning for Easter? Let me know in the comments below.