I’ll never forget the Easter when my family was fighting the flu, leaving only my preteen daughter and me healthy enough to attend the Good Friday service at our church. I remember sitting in the sanctuary, feeling grateful to be there, enjoying the music and message, and thinking as we walked out, “That was really nice.”
As I got in the car and looked over at my precious girl, I was alarmed to see tears pouring from her eyes. I immediately asked her what was wrong, and she countered by asking what was wrong with me. She didn’t understand how we had been in the same service; she had been moved to tears by her Savior’s sacrifice for her, while I left thinking it was “nice.” Just remembering the moment still deeply convicts me.
A sacred foundation
Easter represents a sacred foundation of the Christian faith; it celebrates Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the grave – forever – through His death, burial, and resurrection. Yet, many parents struggle to balance faith-based traditions with secular celebrations that dominate our culture, including egg hunts, Easter baskets, and a giant (let’s be honest – usually creepy) bunny.
How do we best honor Christ in a world that pulls our attentions and affections in seemingly opposite directions?
It’s essential to intentionally teach our children the spiritual significance of Easter. It’s more than an annual tradition; it’s a celebration of the greatest gift we’ve ever received. When we focus on the true meaning of Easter, we anchor our family traditions in faith, ensuring that the season becomes a meaningful time of worship and reflection.
Romans 14 reminds us to honor the Lord in our decisions while avoiding being a stumbling block to others. Start by seeking the Lord’s wisdom, examining your heart, and committing to convictions that prioritize Christ as the center of your celebration. Share these convictions with your family, creating a nurturing environment where they feel confident to live them out.
If past traditions no longer align with your faith, it’s OK to reset boundaries; discuss what has changed, share what God has revealed, and move forward with unity. Reflect together using guiding questions like: Is this honoring to God? Does it encourage others in their faith?
A significant stage
Having said that, it’s also important to understand that children’s brain development, particularly in the early years, is marked by rapid growth in imagination and slower growth in understanding abstract concepts. Young children often struggle to differentiate between fantasy and reality, which is why trying to reconcile messages like “the Easter Bunny isn’t real, but Jesus is” can be confusing. Pairing a tangible, curiously imaginative figure like the Easter Bunny with the abstract, faith-based concept of Jesus’ resurrection is tricky territory.
To nurture their developing faith, it’s important to explain who Jesus is in a clear and age-appropriate way, emphasizing the truth of His resurrection as a cornerstone of our beliefs, while prayerfully considering your engagement in other traditions.
One time, I saw an Easter-themed wall hanging in a craft store that simply read, “It’s not about the bunny. It’s about the Lamb.” Yes, I absolutely purchased it and placed it in my home as a simple reminder for myself and my family to refocus our hearts and minds on the real reason for the season. Now every time I see an Easter Bunny, I immediately picture the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world.
A powerful opportunity
Easter is more than a three-day weekend. It’s a sacred invitation to celebrate the hope, joy, and renewal found in Christ’s resurrection. By keeping Christ at the center of it all, we transform Easter into a powerful opportunity to deepen our faith, strengthen family bonds, and reflect God’s love to others.
This Easter, challenge your family to start a new Christ-centered tradition. Whether it’s worshipping together, serving others, or creating meaningful memories together, these practices will help you celebrate the true reason for the season: the resurrection of our precious Savior, who gave His life to grant us eternal life with Him.
Now, that’s something worthy of celebrating!
Simple suggestions with spiritual significance
Traditions we intentionally curate have a lasting impact on our children’s faith and values. It’s a sacred privilege to steward well. By consistently incorporating Christ-centered practices into Easter celebrations, we provide permanent faith formations for developing hearts, minds, and souls. Simple but meaningful traditions will build your family’s faith, creating core memories of God’s Word applied in their lives.
Faith-focused family time
Worship together: As a family, attend Easter services, including Good Friday or sunrise services, to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
Read the resurrection story: Gather as a family and intentionally read together the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, or John 20). For younger children, use picture books that help Bible stories come to life for young minds.
Faith-based home decorations: Make simple decorations, such as wreaths, garlands, wall art, or tablescapes, that feature crosses and messages of faith from Scripture.
Family service projects
Serve others: Volunteer as a family in a place where you can share the hope of the good news of Jesus.
Be a host: Invite someone to attend church with you on Easter Sunday. Extend the invitation to lunch to continue conversation and answer questions.
Create care baskets: Instead of an Easter basket, create a “care basket” for people in your community who may feel lonely or forgotten.
Faith-based fun
Family movie night: Prayerfully screen family films that convey messages of faith or retell the story of Easter, e.g., Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, or biblical productions streamed through Sight & Sound TV (sight-sound.tv).
Resurrection eggs: Use an egg carton and 12 plastic eggs to hide small objects that each represent a portion of the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
Empty tomb rolls: Dip giant marshmallows in butter and cinnamon and then wrap them in crescent roll dough. The marshmallows disappear while baking, creating a simple but fun object lesson to explain the miracle of the resurrection.
Faith-inspired scavenger hunt: Create a scavenger hunt with Scripture-based clues leading to items that symbolize parts of the Easter story.
(Digital Editor's Note: This article was published first in the April 2025 print edition of The Stand. Click HERE for a free six-month complimentary subscription.)
