Celebrating A Christ-Centered Easter.

I know I've written many posts in the past about how we celebrate easter, and as my kids slowly leave the nest, and grow older I still try to somehow keep those traditions going that way when the time comes to have their own families they can continue said traditions. 

We started this tradition two years ago, and we really enjoy it! No matter how busy the kids lives are I make sure that we put in time for "Holy Week." I see a difference in our lives as we do this, and their days at school are less chaotic, settled, and calm. I find it helps us grow closer as a family, and since I'll have another daughter leaving the nest for college this fall, I am seriously taking advantage of celebrating a Christ centered easter. 

I bought this book last year, and it's another great way of celebrating christ, and helps us gain a closer relationship to Him. My youngest is eight, and although he loves making, and cracking cascarones on our heads (which is another tradition) he no longer cares for the easter bunny, and knows that at the end of the day it's all about The Lord. 

When I was a super young mom, and the girls were little it was all about the easter bunny, but the more we moved from state to state, being away from family, and finding our own way to strengthen ourselves with the Lord in our lives we bonded more as a family, and also developed true testimonies of why we remember Him on Easter. 

My mother-in-law also had a huge role in helping us grow closer with our relationship towards Christ. Since we kept moving she always gifted us with books, and meaningful gifts in relation to the Atonement, and Christ's resurrection. She's a fun mom too, but also very spirited! Especially around the Christmas, and Easter holidays. She may not know this, but her example (and Christ) have a lot to do with who, and how we are today. 

Now that my kids are almost 23 (yikes!) 18, 13, and 8 we most definitely center Easter around Christ, and because we still have an active boy who loves to go hunting still have a little Easter egg hunt for him. 

Last year the girls had fun guiding him along the hunt when we went to Roosevelt island. The difference is that along with some malted eggs we put little notes inside the plastic eggs that read "fun date with mom or dad." "dessert of your choice," along with pieces of paper with the story of Christ. Once he finds the white egg (which represents the empty tomb) he gets a special gift. He always loves that ending! 

These easter traditions I have made for my family may not be for everyone, and what may work for some kids may not work for the other, but as I slowly transitioned the idea of the "easter bunny" throughout the years, verses focusing on a "Christ centered easter" I see a huge difference in how much our kids really appreciate the Lord, and the true meaning behind the easter season.

Here are other great ideas in which one can enjoy the spirit of the season!