Fun & Easy Ways to Celebrate Easter with Loved Ones

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Your guide to enjoying Easter whether you're religious or not
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Easter (also sometimes called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday) is a religious holiday celebrated by Christians, but non-religious people and people of other faiths often mark the day, too. Traditional celebrations include attending church, family get-togethers, and activities like painting eggs. Looking for more ways to commemorate Easter Sunday? Keep reading: we’ll dive into popular Easter traditions in America and around the world , the meaning and history of the holiday , why we celebrate it with eggs , and more!

The next Easter is Sunday, April 20, 2025 .

How do we traditionally celebrate Easter?

  • Celebrate Easter by decorating eggs and having an Easter egg hunt.
  • Fill Easter baskets with candy and toys for children.
  • Enjoy an Easter brunch with friends or loved ones.
  • Attend Easter church services to learn about Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
  • Go for a walk or hike with family or friends to enjoy a pleasant spring day.
Section 1 of 4:

Traditional Ways to Celebrate Easter

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  1. You can buy an egg decorating kit at nearly any supermarket in the months leading up to Easter. Hard-boil some eggs and let your children have fun decorating them for the Easter holidays. [1]
    • Egg-decorating typically involves mixing vinegar-based dyes of different colors in various cups. Eggs are then dunked in the dye to add color.
    • Some people also add stickers to their eggs for extra pizazz!
    • You can even get creative and dye the eggs with shaving cream or watercolors (but you won’t be able to eat them afterward!).
    • Make sure your kids wear old clothing when decorating eggs. It can get very messy!
  2. An iconic part of Easter is the Easter egg hunt ! Decorate hard-boiled eggs with your kids and hide them for your kids to hunt. Or, fill plastic eggs with treats and hide them throughout your home or yard. [2]
    • If you're using plastic eggs, consider filling them with candy, Cheerios, small toys, or even money!
    • Religious families sometimes put Bible verses on pieces of paper in plastic eggs as well.
    • Some large Easter egg hunts are put on by local communities or organizations (including churches and schools) and are open for you and your family to attend. See if you can find an Easter egg hunt in your area.
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  3. Easter baskets are a popular and fun Easter tradition. Young children love waking up to a basket filled with Easter goods! You can buy colorful baskets at department stores around the holidays (and even save empty baskets to refill for years to come!). Buy a pre-filled basket , or fill it yourself with small treats like candy and tiny toys.
    • If you're religious, try adding plastic eggs with Bible verses tucked inside.
    • Candy is almost always a hit, but if you’re looking for a slightly healthier snack, fresh or dried fruit or nuts can be a fun addition!
    • You can also provide small toys instead of food-based items, like plush chicks or bunnies .
  4. Decorating for the holidays is fun for kids and adults alike! Consider purchasing some Easter decorations at the store that you can use year after year, or make your own! You can find lots of Easter craft tutorials online. Your kids may, for example, enjoy using construction paper, felt, or papier mache to make things like chicks, eggs , bunnies, and wearable bunny ears . [3]
    • Window stickers are great for young children, as they're fun and easy to use.
    • If you're having an Easter Brunch or dinner, inviting your kids to make Easter-themed placemats with cardstock or construction paper can make it even more festive!
  5. Many people love early afternoon brunches on Easter. You can go out to a restaurant that has an Easter brunch special, or you can have family or friends over for an Easter-themed meal. [4]
    • Due to the connection with eggs, deviled eggs or scrambled eggs are often eaten at Easter meals. You might even use some of the eggs you and your family have colored to make your dish!
    • Many people enjoy serving ham as the main dish for their Easter meal. Think about adding some side dishes such as mashed potatoes or glazed carrots.
    • Try to use a spring-like color scheme. For example, use pastel plates, napkins, tablecloths, and silverware.
  6. Almost every Christian church will offer an Easter service on Easter Sunday. Exactly what the service will consist of will vary depending on the church. However, attending any Easter church service can be a good way to focus on the Christian messages that accompany the holiday. [5]
    • If you have young children, see if there are special Sunday School classes offered on Easter Sunday.
  7. If you’re religious, take some time over Easter weekend to read the Easter story. This can be a good way to focus on the meaning behind the holiday. Reminding yourself why the holiday is celebrated can help you to engage more fully with your faith and its traditions. Much of the Easter story is found in the New Testament, covered in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. [6]
    • If you have young children, see if you can find a children's Bible that details the story of Easter. This may explain Jesus's death and resurrection in terms they can easily understand.
  8. The Easter bunny is a fun part of Easter for children (and even some adults!), and baked goods shaped like bunnies are a festive way to celebrate the holiday. Try making rabbit-shaped cookies with a rabbit-shaped cookie cutter , or make a rabbit-shaped baked good yourself using cinnamon rolls: [7]
    • Bake three cinnamon rolls . Stick two together, forming a snowman-like body, and cut the other in half. Place the two halves near one end of the cinnamon roll, making bunny ears, and then use cream cheese frosting to color your bunny white. You can use chocolate chips or blueberries for eyes.
    • Make these tasty treats even more fun for your kids by involving them in the baking process!
  9. Photos can be a fun way to remember the holiday. While having brunch, wearing your Sunday best, hunting for eggs, or engaging in other festive activities, bring a camera. Take some great photos to help you remember your Easter memories for years to come. [8]
  10. Easter often takes place as the weather starts to get warmer. If you live in an area where Easter marks the start of spring, take advantage of the warm weather to celebrate the day. Spend Easter Sunday taking a long walk or hike along a local nature trail. [9]
    • If you don't live near a wooded area, you can simply take a walk through your neighborhood with family and friends. For example, instead of driving to your favorite ice cream place, walk or bike there.
  11. As Easter falls during the spring in many parts of world, it is seen as a celebration of life. Stop by a local greenhouse and pick up some seeds. Plant them in your yard or in a pot in your home. Growing some new flowers or other plants can help you commemorate Easter by welcoming spring. [10]
  12. If you and your family are religious, talking about what God's sacrifice means to you can be a meaningful way to celebrate the holiday. Why are you grateful for Jesus's sacrifices, death, and resurrection? [11]
    • You may even find it meaningful to pray together as a family, or to go around a circle and share one reason you find the holiday special.
  13. If you’re Christian, attending a church service or reading over the Easter story can be great ways to focus on the meaning of the holiday. However, taking some time on your Easter Sunday to reflect on the personal meaning of the holiday can help you discover what it means to you. [12]
    • Think about your religion. How has it benefited your life? What have you learned from Christianity? How have Jesus's lessons affected your actions?
    • You may want to have your family answer these types of questions. For example, you could have everyone go around the table and share a time they acted in a certain way because of Christ's teachings.
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Section 2 of 4:

Easter Traditions Around the World

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  1. 1
    In Bermuda, people fly kites to celebrate Easter. Around the Easter holidays, it’s traditional to create your own kite using wooden sticks, colorful paper, and a special tissue called “hummers,” which makes a buzzing sound. Many Bermudians will fly their kites together to celebrate Easter, or visit Horseshoe Baby Beach to attend or participate in the annual Kite Festival, which falls on Good Friday. [13]
  2. 2
    Sweden celebrates Easter by celebrating…Halloween? On Maundy Thursday—the Thursday before Easter—in Sweden, it’s traditional for children to dress up as witches and go door to door asking for candy. Kids usually present adults who answer the door with decorated tree branches or drawings in return for their candies. [14]
    • This tradition originates from the Swedish legend that witches went to a mysterious place called Blåkulla before Easter to celebrate with the devil. To make sure the witches didn’t return again, Swedes burn big bonfires on Easter Sunday.
  3. 3
    Norway celebrates Easter with murder mysteries. You read that right! While for many other cultures, Easter is celebrated with chocolate and church, for Norwegians, it’s traditional to mark the passing of the holiday by reading crime and murder mysteries set in bleak Scandinavian locations (aka Nordic noir). [15]
    • Why? It likely began in 1923, when a couple of Norwegian authors—Nordahl Grieg and Nils Lie—wrote a crime novel called (in English) Bergen Train Looted in the Night and advertised it in the papers the Sunday before Easter.
    • The ad was so believable that most people didn’t realize it was fiction—which caused the novel to become a huge success!
    • After that, Easter crime became a massive tradition in Norway. It helps that Norwegians get a lot of days off during Easter—far more than many other countries—giving them plenty of time to read!
  4. 4
    In some parts of Europe, people hunt for Easter nests. In a twist on the traditional egg hunt, folks in Germany, Switzerland, and some other European countries hide Easter nests (they’re actually baskets or boxes filled with chocolates and toys) for children to find. (But they say they were hidden by the Easter bunny!)
  5. 5
    In Poland, people celebrate Easter Monday with water fights. On the day after Easter, Poland and the Polish diaspora celebrate Śmigus-dyngus, or Dyngus Day. This tradition used to involve boys showering girls in water to represent the cleansing of sins after the death and resurrection of Christ, but has grown to involve water fights between just about everyone, regardless of gender. [16]
  6. 6
    In Greece, people throw pottery out the window. On Easter Sunday morning at 11 a.m., residents of the Greek island of Corfu throw clay pots from their balconies and out the windows. The tradition started in the 16th century, when people would throw unwanted and old belongings out the window to celebrate the New Year, believing that breaking pots would scare away evil spirits and mark a new chapter in life. [17]
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Section 3 of 4:

Why do we celebrate Easter, anyway?

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  1. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to the Biblical New Testament, Jesus Christ was the son of God, who died on the cross on Good Friday, was buried for three days, and rose again on Easter Sunday. Christians believe Christ, in dying, took on the sins of all mankind and saved them from hell.
    • It is theorized that the word Easter derives from Eostre or Eostrae , an Anglo-Saxon goddess potentially associated with spring and fertility. Festivals in her honor were historically celebrated in April. [18]
Section 4 of 4:

Easter FAQ

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  1. 1
    What day is Easter? Easter Sunday is a movable feast, meaning it doesn’t fall on a fixed date. It is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (that is, the first day of spring, or March 21).
    • Easter Sunday 2025 falls on April 20.
    • Easter Sunday 2026 falls on April 5.
    • Easter Sunday 2027 falls on March 28.
    • Easter Sunday 2028 falls on April 16.
    • Easter Sunday 2029 falls on April 1. (Can you imagine a better April Fool’s joke than dying and coming back to life again?)
  2. Easter takes place on one day, but it is connected to other holy days. There is a Holy Week which leads up to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Starting the Sunday before Easter, known as Palm Sunday, pause to reflect on the Biblical significance of such events. If your church holds special services on these days, attend if possible. [19]
    • From Palm Sunday to Holy Tuesday, there are Biblical stories surrounding Christ entering Jerusalem and entering the temples there. On Holy Wednesday, Judas decided to betray Jesus and the story of his persecution begins.
    • Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which took place between Jesus and his disciples. Good Friday is the day of Jesus's death on the cross.
    • Holy Saturday and Sunday, or Easter, are the last two days of the Holy Week. During these days, Christ's resurrection is remembered and celebrated.
  3. 3
    Why do we celebrate Easter with eggs? Eggs have been used to celebrate springtime (including, but not limited to, Easter) for centuries. Eggs represent rebirth and new life, making it the perfect way to celebrate the Earth coming back to life again after winter, as well as the death and resurrection of Christ. [20]
    • In the Medieval period, eggs were often given up during the period of Lent, so Easter also marked the day when they could finally be consumed again.
  4. 4
    Why do we celebrate Easter with rabbits? Rabbits and bunnies became associated with Easter after Georg Franck von Franckenau, a German Professor of Medicine, mentioned an “Easter hare” in his book Satyrae Medicae in 1722. It’s possible he made this connection because rabbits are known for breeding quickly, creating a connection with the new life associated with springtime. [21]
    • In European folklore, hares were purported either to lay eggs or to hide the colored eggs that children searched for in the garden.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Can you recommend a healthy easter meal snack?
    John Burson
    Certified Nutritionist
    John Burson is a Certified Nutritionist, Licensed Herbalist, and Certified Personal Trainer. With over 25 years of experience, John specializes in helping clients lose weight and live healthier lives. John graduated magna cum laude and received a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing from Grand Canyon University. He has also earned Thumbtack Top Pro honos for three consecutive years.
    John Burson
    Certified Nutritionist
    Expert Answer
    If you're anticipating guests for your easter holiday, healthy appetizers such as avocado-deviled eggs, french onion dip, and smoked salmon bites. These are light and healthy, yet satisfying snacks that will set the perfect tone for the event. If you want more variety, Paleo-based muffins, bread, and pancakes are great additions to any meal that offers hearty flavors without the extra carbs. And for the healthier spin on pizza, try the cauliflower crust topped with chicken or seafood and loads of veggies.
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    Why is Easter so important?
    Zachary Rainey
    Ordained Minister
    Rev. Zachary B. Rainey is an ordained minister with over 40 years of ministry and pastoral practice, including over 10 years as a hospice chaplain. He is a graduate of Northpoint Bible College and a member of the General Council of the Assemblies of God.
    Zachary Rainey
    Ordained Minister
    Expert Answer
    Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the most important lesson in the Bible. Jesus gave His life to provide forgiveness, to break down the sinful barriers that people have placed between themselves and God, and to transform selfish people into a loving people.
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  • Question
    How should you explain Easter to children?
    Zachary Rainey
    Ordained Minister
    Rev. Zachary B. Rainey is an ordained minister with over 40 years of ministry and pastoral practice, including over 10 years as a hospice chaplain. He is a graduate of Northpoint Bible College and a member of the General Council of the Assemblies of God.
    Zachary Rainey
    Ordained Minister
    Expert Answer
    In regards to Easter, it is enough that an infant or toddler receives loving care that reflects the unselfish love of God found in the meaning of the Easter story. As the child matures, add details from the Gospel narrative that will provide greater understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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      Warnings

      • Keep track of where you hid all the eggs in case they are not all found by the hunters! This is especially important if you're hiding real eggs, as these will eventually start to rot.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/more-holidays/dye-easter-eggs
      2. ↑ http://www.whattoexpect.com/family-fun/easter-family-traditions.aspx
      3. ↑ http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/69972/50-easter-celebration-ideas
      4. ↑ http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/69972/50-easter-celebration-ideas
      5. ↑ https://www.whyeaster.com/customs/eastersunday.shtml
      6. ↑ http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/easter-bible-verses/
      7. ↑ http://www.whattoexpect.com/family-fun/easter-family-traditions.aspx
      8. ↑ http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/69972/50-easter-celebration-ideas
      9. ↑ http://www.ibelieve.com/faith/5-ways-to-celebrate-easter-without-the-easter-bunny.html
      1. ↑ http://www.ibelieve.com/faith/5-ways-to-celebrate-easter-without-the-easter-bunny.html
      2. ↑ https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/holidays/featured-holidays/easter-and-lent/10-creative-ways-to-celebrate-easter/
      3. ↑ https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/holidays/featured-holidays/easter-and-lent/10-creative-ways-to-celebrate-easter/
      4. ↑ https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/8-fun-easter-traditions-around-world/
      5. ↑ https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/swedish-witch-trials-dark-heritage
      6. ↑ https://www.visitnorway.com/typically-norwegian/easter/crime-time/
      7. ↑ https://culture.pl/en/article/smigus-dyngus-polands-national-water-fight-day
      8. ↑ https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/8-fun-easter-traditions-around-world/
      9. ↑ https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2017/04/13/origins-of-easter.html
      10. ↑ http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter3.htm
      11. ↑ https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/easter/why-do-we-eat-eggs-at-easter/
      12. ↑ https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2017/04/13/origins-of-easter.html

      About This Article

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      If you want to celebrate Easter with children, decorate hard-boiled eggs in a variety of colors. Hide the eggs around your home or yard and let the children hunt for them. If you prefer, you can hide plastic eggs filled with candy and use the dyed eggs as decor. On Easter morning, choose a small basket for each child and fill it with toys, candy, and other treats. If you’re religious, you may wish to attend an Easter Sunday church service. For tips on celebrating a secular Easter, keep reading!

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