Easter is one of my favorite holidays, not only due to what it celebrates but also because of the fond memories and family traditions behind it. Growing up, Lolli hosted some big Easter egg hunts for our family and friends that became renowned around the neighborhood, especially for the pastel-colored baby chicks guests could take home as party favors (true story!). She would serve a lavish Southern buffet and have the house decorated “to the nines” with her spring décor collection. Whoever found the golden egg earned the prize of a real bunny (Parents knew only to RSVP in the affirmative if they were willing to risk heading home with pets!), but everyone left with both their hearts and Easter baskets full from all the fun.
Now, as a mother myself, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what types of #intentionalmemories to create with my own family. We don’t have a huge lawn at our home to host an “eggstravaganza,” but we can add some other special touches and traditions to our Easter Sunday celebration with the littles:
Easter Baskets
As a little girl, I remember waking up on Easter Sunday and running downstairs to the kitchen to find an Easter basket brimming with toys and treats, all topped with one of Lolli’s big bows of pastel ribbon! While I’ve continued the Easter basket tradition with my own family, we’ve put a new twist on it:
Instead of having an Easter basket that the “Easter Bunny” delivers, we stuff and hide German Nestler eggs in the backyard with mostly with non-edible treats and trinkets. Since these traditional nesting eggs come in an assortment of sizes, you can fit more in them than just jelly beans! We set out the kids’ empty Easter baskets with a note about God’s love (John 3:16), then they go on a “hunt” to fill their own baskets with what they find in the backyard. The extra-large, “golden” egg will have stuffed animals (one for each child) inside this year!
German Nestler Eggs // Personalized Easter Basket Liners
We’re also hiding coins in sports-themed eggs for the boys this Easter (They’re currently learning how to allocate their piggy bank “funds” to save, spend and share jars, so this will help fill their coffers!). In the larger nesting eggs, we can fit goodies like small toy cars and trains, or hair bows and cute socks for Liza, providing gifts that are longer lasting than the more common candy fillers.
Sports-themed Eggs // Hair Bows // Toy Train Set
Sunday Best
Once Easter baskets are filled and pajama breakfast is finished, we get dressed for church! Easter Sunday is my favorite occasion to dress for all year, since we can wear whites again in celebration of spring, with summer in sight. Lolli and I dress in white or pastels and love coordinating the children’s outfits, too, since it makes for sweet keepsake photos. The boys have matching Easter Bunny Bullion Sets for Sunday service and brunch this year, and Liza will wear a sweet Easter bonnet with one of her heirloom Feltman Brothers day gowns we received from a friend at her baby shower. The best part, though, is selecting their special Easter Sunday shoes…mint saddle oxfords for the boys and little lace booties for Liza this time!
Mint Saddle Oxfords // Lace Booties & Bunny Rattle Set
Beyond Easter, a “Sunday Best” outfit is great to have on hand for weddings, special dinners, and of course, other spring and summer Sundays! Here are some more of our seasonal picks for the tots:
Hosting at Home
If we end up hosting Easter brunch at our home, I love pulling out all of our spring-themed dishes and décor for the occasion! Lolli always prepared a menu of Easter Ham with Pineapple Cheese Casserole (which we’ll share on the blog next week!), and I enjoy the same staples, along with other sides and sweets displayed on pretty platters with a stunning floral centerpiece. From Beatrix Potter plates for the littles, to porcelain butterflies and bunnies in the dining room, this is a holiday that holds lots of options for beautiful displays. Spring at last!
Porcelain Butterfly Dishes // Ceramic Bunny Serving Bowl
One of my other favorite family traditions to carry on is sharing the Easter story with a crate of Resurrection Eggs once everyone is seated around the table. This is an activity we incorporated into our family Easter egg hunt growing up and remains a hit with my children, too! I let the kids rotate opening the eggs (It comes with a dozen!) to see which component of the Easter story is inside. It’s important to share the true reason for Easter among the bunny and egg distractions, although every part of this holiday can be fun and special if you make it meaningful!
Here are some more ideas, as you prepare for your own Easter celebrations:
What are some of your family’s favorite Easter traditions? We’d love to hear about them over on Instagram @lolliandme! And don’t forget to visit our SHOP to peruse more holiday entertaining finds for this occasion and beyond!
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