Easter Traditions

Some days I feel like I preach spontaneity then other days I rest in the comfort of family traditions. I appreciate knowing that some things will remain consistent year after year. It gives me the freedom to set up moments of remembrance and gives me room for making new memories that are anchored.

Growing up, my parents introduced us to many holiday traditions like getting new pajamas every year on Christmas Eve OR buying strawberry and grape Shasta soda to drink on the truck bed while we watched the annual summer parade OR participating in annual Easter egg hunts with our church family. Since having children, we have kept some of these traditions and dismissed others (is Shasta soda even made anymore)? Some traditions we have altered to fit the dynamics of our family. And because this blog post is about EASTER traditions I suppose I should get around to talking a little bit about what we do as a family for Easter.


Here's the deal, though, I cannot share all the details with you or Easter eggs everywhere will cease to exist (have you ever wondered why it is an Easter bunny that delivers the eggs and not an Easter chicken). No, but seriously, I can tell you that our tradition requires stealth, speed, plastic eggs, the whole family, sharing our heart about Christ, and many other families. For 7 years we have carried on this special tradition without missing a beat. As we welcome each new child into the family, they just come alongside, and once they are old enough, they actually get special training and have to prove their stealth before given the freedom to participate.


Our Easter conversation usually goes something like this...."do you remember last year?" AND "Oh man! That was so crazy!" And on and on....with laughter filling the air sometimes until we are all crying. Then there is the conversation about why we celebrate Easter. AND year after year, at least on of our kiddos asks "Why do we celebrate Easter on this day if we don't really know when Jesus rose from the grave?" It is not about knowing the exact date, but it is about giving ourselves a time of remembrance. We use this time to remember Christ's sacrifice for us and His power over the grave. We mark this day every year and set it aside to reflect on the culmination of Christ's life (not to neglect it the rest of the year of course).

We decided 7 years ago that we would add our own family spin on Easter by loving others together, sharing the good news of why we celebrate Easter, and some major fun! Some day, I will reveal to you the top secret mission of the Johnson Family, but that will be far in the future....possibly when we are grandparents. Until then....if you are dying to know (and if you live more than 300 miles away and are super stealthy, you can send me an email or leave a comment, and I will reply via personal email). For the rest of you, what are some of your favorite family traditions?