Hunting down awesome Easter traditions

So, Easter is early this year, and I’m staring at my daughter’s lovely, sleeveless dress thinking, how does Easter always seem to arrive before the weather and I are ready?
Well, there’s no time to whine about it. I have too much to accomplish. And now that I’ve entered an era where my kids will remember the extra little things I do to make the day special, it’s time to come up with a winning Easter game plan.

Here are my eight steps, in particular order, for creating a perfect lead-up to Easter joy. Why eight? Why not eight?

1.     Learn a rockin' Easter Bunny song. When my daughter asked me to sing a song about the Easter Bunny this week (something akin to “Here Comes Santa Claus”), the best I could come up with was “Here Comes Peter Cottontail.” She was not impressed. Time for me to do a little rabbit hunting on YouTube.

2.    Talk about the true meaning of Easter. For some it may be about chickies, bunnies, and chocolate eggs, but for many, we’ll want to emphasize the meaning of the day—God’s sacrifice and love—even if we are inhaling pastel-colored M&Ms.

3.     Attend an Easter bunny meet & greet. Okay, I’ll admit it. My name is Megan Cox, and I am afraid of the Easter Bunny. Does the rabbit suit really have to be so big and creepy? The Quail Springs Mall has Easter Bunny Photos, but I’m tempted to take the kiddos to Petsmart and let them check out a real “Easter Bunny” from behind glass.

4.    Get ready, get set, egg hunt. These things are popping up all over the city. See a list of local events here. If you don’t have the time to get to one of these nifty shindigs, you might set up an Easter egg hunt with friends or neighbors, or even just Daddy versus the kiddos. Let me tell you, having been subjected to family egg hunts as a child, the home videos make for many laughs decades later.

5.    Search for the perfect bunny. I’m one of those traditionalists—a new bunny each year. The issue is finding ones that are unique. Hobby Lobby isn’t a bad place to start (it’s not usually as picked over as Walmart or Target), but if you’re creative, you might come up with something better. I always thought, if I could actually sew, that putting bunny ears on different types of stuffed animals would make for a fun Easter bunny tradition (think Cadbury).

6.    Buy a snazzy Easter outfit. This is already checked off for me. But for parents still shopping, the good thing is those Easter outfits will probably get marked down next week, so even if you don’t have first pick of the selection, you may get a great deal.

7.    Find an Easter service. Edmond is an area with churches, and lots of ‘em. Maybe you’re not a frequent churchgoer, but don’t be ashamed to be an Easter/Christmas attendee. Most churches I know have a “the more the merrier” approach.

8.    Go "Martha Stewart" on a bunny cake. Maybe you’re like me, and Martha Stewart is a complete enigma. Never fear, even the most novice cooks (how I am still a novice after so many years of practice is a question I’m sure my husband has often pondered) can try their hand at a bunny cake (see examples here).

 

     Because, at the end of the day, you won’t remember how many chocolate eggs you ate, but the pictures and traditions—those are priceless.