As a child, I never thought about the real meaning of Easter. I just wanted to get my hands on that basket filled with goodies. But then again, my family didn't attend church either, so Easter was all about the bunny, candy and egg hunts.
But now, my life is much different. I'm the parent and have had to find a balance between the fun of Easter and the real meaning of the holiday.
Saturday is for Fun
At the Ferguson Home, the Easter Bunny visits us on Saturday morning. Each year, EB leaves notes filled with clues for the munchkins to search and find their baskets of goodies. The kids can't wait to see how sneaky EB will be each year. Saturday if filled with fun activities . . . egg hunts, board games, and depending on the weather, possibly bike rides, a trip to the park, or a family hike. We call this day "Easter Bunny Day" at our house--and it's all about family fun.
Sunday is for Jesus
On Sunday, we have a family gathering and the kids take turns sharing their favorite stories from Jesus' life. Then we talk why it was important that Jesus died for us and the significance of the resurrection. I have full body picture of Jesus that I had copied onto a clear laminate. I use this to illustrate Jesus' body and his spirit. It's a great way for kids to understand the difference between the two. When Jesus was alive on Earth, his body and spirit were one (put both together). When he died, his spirit went to heaven and his body stayed in the tomb (separate the two), but when he was resurrected, his body and spirit were joined together again and will be that way forever (join the two back together). We go to church on Sunday (as we do every week), have a nice family dinner, and watch videos about the Savior's life. Easter Sunday is our day to celebrate the life of our Savior Jesus Christ.
This has worked great for our family, but I know each family has different traditions. How does your family balance the fun of Easter with the real meaning of the day?
