I really enjoy Easter. After the chaos and expectations of Christmas, it’s a low key mini holiday that is over before you have a chance to get bored of it. The weather is often decent as well.
It’s also a holiday with a real meaning. I know Christmas is too but the Easter story isn’t drowned out by commercialism in the same way.
We aren’t a hugely religious family but my children go to a C of E school, and we go to a short service each week as part of that. Our kids understand what Easter is and why we celebrate it, so our Easter traditions are a mix of the traditional and the contemporary. I think it’s a nice balance that keeps the kids aware of why we are doing these things but focuses on the fun.
So here are the Easter traditions that my family loves, and maybe yours will too.
Hot Cross Buns for Breakfast
On the morning of Good Friday, we have Hot Cross Buns for breakfast. We don’t have them the rest of the year so it feels like a bit of an occasion, and you can get all kinds now – even ones with chocolate in them 😛
The religious symbolism here is the cross of course, and we have taught the kids why we eat Hot Cross Buns, but we don’t labour the point. We get a selection and everyone can have as many as they like and eat them however they like. Butter, jam, spread, plain, totally up to the eater.
This leaves us stuffed until lunch.
Hot cross buns are available for the whole Easter weekend, but not everyone eats them every day. Good Friday is the only day we all sit down together and eat the same breakfast.
Fish for Tea (or Dinner if You’re Southern)
Good Friday ends with a fish supper. We go for traditional fish and chips usually, but some years my fella gets creative with a sea bass or something.
I don’t actually know why we do this, but I know it’s linked to not eating red meat. It’s something the kids always look forward to anyway, because we aren’t really a family that does many takeaways, so it feels special to them.
Crafts: Painted Eggs and Easter Bonnets
This is our Saturday.
To be honest, the Saturday is more or less a normal day for us. We have an hour or two painting eggs and making Easter bonnets, and making sure the kids have their Easter baskets ready for the Sunday, but otherwise it feels like a regular weekend.
When the eggs have been decorated we put them in the window, along with any Easter themed pictures the kids have drawn/coloured in, and the bonnets go on the side until the Sunday.
We sometimes make the Easter baskets but we do buy them sometimes too 😬 Sorry. Life is short and kids are hard, and sometimes shop bought baskets are the answer.
Church on Easter Sunday
There is a lovely community at our church, and they make a real effort to create an environment the kids will enjoy. The Easter Sunday service is usually between 9am and 10am so the fact the kids don’t complain about it is a huge bonus!
They also know that once we get home it is chocolate time, which may have something to do with it too 😂
Seriously though, religious or not, being in a church together with your family at Easter is a lovely experience. It’s always busy, there’s a nice atmosphere, and it just feels kind of wholesome.
Easter Egg Hunt!
The really fun bit is the Easter Egg hunt.
So we tell the kids that while we were at Church, the Easter Bunny came and hid lots of eggs around the garden. Obviously, my other half did it before we left. The kids wear their Easter bonnets while they go egg hunting, although my oldest was reluctant last year so he might be over that stage now 😭
We buy those tiny little eggs you get in nets for 99p, and always hide some in impossible places the kids have no hope of reaching. Then we take videos of them trying everything they can think of to get their hands on them before we lend a hand 😈😂
They collect the eggs in their Easter baskets and can eat a few before lunch – which is always a traditional roast dinner.
We get each other one big egg too, and we swap them after lunch. When I say a big egg, we get really good ones. I know you can get a big Flake Easter egg for £6, but if you spend £15 you can get something that really does feel special – especially to a 6 year old.
Then it’s movies, sugar headaches, and chocolate comas until bedtime.
Getting Outdoors
Easter Monday is still a fairly chocolate heavy day, but we do set limits.
The only Easter Monday tradition we have is getting outdoors, weather permitting. We live quite close to the Pennines so we have loads of options for walks, even with young kids. Sometimes we take a football and some cricket gear to the park instead. It depends.
The point is that we want to get out as a family and do something a bit active to work off some of that chocolate. As well as enjoying time together as a unit, of course.
It leaves everyone thoroughly worn out by late afternoon, when it’s back for some chill out time before bed.
Some Welcome Structure
What I really appreciate about the Easter weekend traditions we follow, is that they offer some structure.
All parents know how difficult extended periods of time at home with the kids can be. Having four days to fill with nothing in the diary would be hell. Easter weekend gives enough structure without making anything feel rushed or stressful, and still leaves loads of time for the kids to do what they like.
It’s a flexible holiday with a real point, but the serious side never gets in the way of enjoying it.
I’m not bankrupt at the end of it either, which helps!