While we are accustomed to hearing the phrase, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” I think the bigger challenge is keeping Christ in Easter. After all, even secular society seems to enjoy or at least tolerate nativity scenes; no one feels threatened by a newborn baby. I always thought it would be interesting, however, if Christians decorated their homes for Easter by putting a scene of the empty tomb in front of their homes with figures of Mary Magdalene, the angel, and the Apostles who ran to the tomb! Instead, we tend to celebrate Easter with bunnies, flowers, and jelly beans and barely a mention of the Risen Christ.
Here are some ideas for keeping Christ in Easter in your home.
- Invite your children to participate in an Easter egg hunt, but first read to them the story of Mary Magdalene coming to the empty tomb and searching for Jesus, saying, “They have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they laid him.” (John 20:13) Tell the children that, in hunting for the Easter eggs, they are imitating Mary Magdalene’s quest for the Risen Christ.
- Engage your children in Christ-centered Easter crafts and activities, such as these from Catholic Icing.
- Together with your children, design and color a banner with the word Alleluia! on it, and display it in the front window of your home. Another option is to use colored sidewalk chalk to write Alleluia, or He is Risen, or some other Easter message in front of your home.
- Make a Resurrection cross using this family handout from Loyola Press.
- Gather photos, videos, and other keepsakes from your children’s Baptisms, and tell stories of the events.
- Work together as a family to create Easter baskets for families in need.
- Invite your children to send Easter cards using these printable Easter cards from Loyola Press (in English or in Spanish).
- Invite younger children to color some Easter coloring pages, and display them in your home or in your windows.
What other activities can you think of to help families keep Christ in Easter?
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