Easter 2013

This Easter I was asked to speak in church about family Easter traditions.  It was actually a topic I’d already given a lot of thought and research to because our last two Easters have been less than idyllic.  This year, I knew I wanted to change at least two things: #1 – no (or very little) sugar on Easter morning due to the kids’ hyperactive state during church last Easter Sunday, and #2 – spend more time talking about the life of the Savior and the events that led up to the crucifixion and resurrection throughout the week.

So, through my research, ponderings, and discussions with Ben we’ve decided in our family to make Easter a week long celebration starting on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday.   Each day we’ll read in the scriptures about the life of Christ during the week that led up to the resurrection and then do a simple 5 or 10 minute activity to help cement the idea in the kids’ minds.

For my own records, I’m going to list here what we plan to do.  These ideas are a compilation of ideas I found online and in book about Easter traditions.  We tried to do some of them this year (forgot pictures) but it didn’t go too well.  I wasn’t prepared in time.  Hopefully next year we will be a little more successful.  We’ll probably also get chicks again next year and try the resurrection rolls/cookies.   Not sure where that will fit in yet.  It’s a work in progress still.

SUNDAY: The Sunday preceeding Easter is Palm Sunday.  On that day Jesus walked from Bethany to Jerusalem.  He rode into the city on a donkey, as a verse in the Old Testament has said he would.  People recognized him as their king, shouting “Hosana” and laying down palm leaves in front of the donkey to keep dust from getting on the Savior.  For our family we’ll read from the scriptures about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and then act it out (using weeds for palms and Ben for a donkey…). The kids can yell “Hosana!” and we’ll talk about how wonderful it must have been for Jesus to see so many people embracing his message of love.

MONDAY: On Monday Jesus saw people buying and selling things in the temple.  Because he wanted the temple to be a house of prayer He made them leave.  Then He healed people who were lame or blind. The jealous priests were angry with him. For our family we’ll read from the scriptures (Matthew 26:17-29, 36-56) and re-enact Jesus cleansing the temple. We’ll talk about how important it is to keep sacred things sacred and talk about what the word “sacred” means.  Then we’ll let the kids get really messy, and talk about how it feels to be dirty.  Then we’ll clean them up and talk about how it feels to be clean and how we need to keep ourselves, lives, homes, temples, minds, etc. clean, too.

TUESDAY (or Wednesday): On Tuesday Jesus taught people in the temple and on a nearby hill called the Mount of Olives.  The priests plotted to kill Jesus.  One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, agreed to turn Jesus over to the priests for exchange of 30 silver coins. We’ll perhaps talk about loyalty and kindness, and make a list of ways we can be loyal to each other and not betray one another.

WEDNESDAY: The scriptures do not say what Jesus did on this day.  He may have spent the day with his disciples.  I plan to talk about Christ’s parables and miracles.  We’ll probably do our Easter egg decorating this day to lighten things up a bit.  We’ll talk about how the eggs represent new life.

THURSDAY: On Thursday Jesus’ disciples prepared the Passover meal.  During the meal Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him.  Then, to help them remember Him, He gave them the sacrament for the first time.  After, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer for our sins and to pray to God.  The guards came with swords and arrested him.  The disciples ran away in fear.  To teach the events of this day we’ll do a simple passover supper with lentil stew and pita bread and talk about the Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane. We’ll talk about the importance of the sacrament. We also plan to show them several of the famous paintings depicting from that day.

FRIDAY: On Friday Jesus was taken to the high priest, Caiaphas. Jesus’ disciple Peter denied that he knew Him. Jesus was questioned by the governor, Pilate, and by the king, Herod. He was condemned to die on the cross. Jesus was crucified. A rich man named Joseph laid Jesus in his tomb. Jesus’s mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene visited the tomb. See Matthew 26:57–72; 27:1–2, 27–37; Luke 23:44–46, 50–56.  On Friday we’ll watch a movie called “The Lamb of God” that nicely depicts the last few days of Christ’s life and talk about the sadness of Christ’s death. We’ll talk about why people call this day “Good Friday” – what Jesus did for us was so very very good although it was so very very sad.

SATURDAY: On Saturday Jesus’ body lay in the tomb.  A large stone was put in front of the door.  The wicked priests asked Pilate to have guards stand outside the tomb to make sure no one went inside. (Matthew 27:57-66).  In our family, we’ve decided (starting next year) to make Saturday the day for the Easter Bunny and egg hunts and all that fun stuff. We’ve sent a letter to the Easter bunny and asked him to keep the Easter baskets  simple, with mostly church-oriented gifts.

SUNDAY: Easter Sunday is of course the day Jesus was resurrected.  An angel descended from Heaven and rolled away the stone.  Jesus told his disciples to teach and baptize others and promised to always be with them.  Matthew 28.  On Easter morning, I’m still not sure what we plan to do.  I’m thinking of showing the kids the video clip at the end of The Lamb of God which shows the resurrection as soon as they wake up.  Maybe they’ll each get a present of new church clothes that morning?  Sadie would be excited about that.  Not sure the boys would be though.  In the afternoon we usually do an egg hunt with the family but next year I’m hoping to fill some of the eggs with symbols of Christ’s last week on earth (a piece of bread for the Last Supper, a rock for the tomb, a little cross made of sticks, some olive leaves for the Garden of Gethsemane, a sacrament cup).  Some of the eggs may be empty representing the empty tomb “he is not here; he is risen”.

Anyways, that’s next year.

This year we went to a huge community Easter activity on Saturday.  Actually it was so big and crowded that Ben and I decided to skip it and go the park instead, but the kids protested so strongly we decided to brave the crowds.  We did have a good time, so I’m happy we went.

That evening we decorated our Easter eggs. McKay broke seven.

This year the Easter bunny wasn’t prepared to do Easter on Saturday so we did the Easter baskets on Sunday morning.  The treats were minimal though.  I think they each had 3 Easter eggs with candy, juice, applesauce, books, sunglasses, vitamins, a toothbrush, a notebook, and a balloon.




After church and naps we went to Mike and Sarah’s for Easter dinner.  We did an egg hunt in the backyard and the kids were in heaven.  In fact, we didn’t just do one egg hunt.  They kept asking us re-hide the eggs so they actually did three egg hunts.

Sadie, Jax, and Ethan ran at full speed from one side of the yard to the other hoping they’d spot one on their way.  The egg race from the day before must have made them think they had to rrruuuunnnnn to get to the eggs first?  McKay, on the other hand, walked slowly while looking thoroughly and he wound up with the most eggs 🙂  He’s a clever one!