Friday 26 December 2014

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Christ-centered Easter Traditions


Now that our Little FECS is 5 years old, family traditions become more important and meaningful. I was a little late in planning and unprepared in finding out what we want as our Christmas traditions and carrying them out. Thus, now that Christmas is over, I am working on Christ-centered traditions for Easter, to make sure that I am in good time. Here are some ideas, some my own and some I have found on the internet that I hope to cultivate as our family Easter traditions:

A few weeks before Easter...

1. Furnish your home with the yellow spring Easter flowers.

2. Make a daily Bible lesson plan. You can get some ideas here:

http://mybellemichelle.com/a-christ-centered-easter-week-family-holiday-traditions/
http://youtu.be/BynwO5QCbhM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm3B2CYnCYA

2. Light a purple candle on the days leading to Good Friday to signify that Jesus is King.

3. Practise singing Easter songs and playing Easter songs on the piano.

4. Do all the activities related to secular traditions on another day other than Friday and Sunday, perhaps Thursday or Saturday i.e Easter egg, Easter bunny, etc.

5. Have a plain-looking wooden cross. Tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and then decorate the cross to represent the beauty of Jesus' life.

On Palm Sunday...

6. On Palm Sunday, read Matthew 21: 1-11 together, watch a video about Palm Sunday and discuss it.

7. On Monday, read from the scriptures about Jesus cleansing the temple (Matthew 21:12-13) and do a spring cleaning of your home.

8. On Tuesday, give up a meal, fast and pray during that time instead for the poor and the hungry in the world or cook a meal for the less fortunate to mourn for Jesus' pending death.

9. On Wednesday, do something of service to others such as providing a meal to old folks' home or children's home.

10. On Thursday, read Matthew Matthew 26:17-35, make a dinner of soup and bread symbolizing the last supper Jesus had.

11. Wash and pedicure each other's feet in modelling after Jesus humility at washing the disciples' feet.

On Good Friday...

12. On Good Friday, make an tomb out of playdough or edible playdough.

13. Light a black candle to signify Jesus' death.

14. On Saturday, watch a movie related to Christ and discuss the movie.

Here are some videos on Jesus for children:

http://powerofmoms.com/2013/03/easter-week-ideas/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K15jttSBQI8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn0iwWrkgb0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH46G-n8ulA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbtMopFS49o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-16Ber1iLo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2z_4fnAVc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_the_Bible

15. To commemorate Christ death on Good Friday and resurrection don Easter Sunday, make a cave with sheets and chairs, etc. and sleep in the "cave," representing Jesus' tomb. Read a story of Easter in your cave in torch light or candlelight. Watch a movie on Easter in it.

On Easter Sunday...

16. On Easter Sunday, light a white candle on Easter Sunday to signify Jesus' resurrection.

17. Wake up early at the crack of dawn and read the resurrection story from Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7 and Matthew 2:1-11 from our bed. If your kids can read, have them read some of the verses too.

18. I got this idea from Faithgateway to have an informal "Kitchen sunrise service"as you get ready for the day. Put on Easter music. Read the Easter story from the children's books. Talk about Jesus and the real meaning of Easter. Talk about how important Jesus is, and why we need Him. What He did for us and why. Read the end of Luke. Pray for time together and a special blessing on each one person. Share stories about how God has worked in your life (that year). While the family is together during the holidays, use the time to share your personal stories about faith, redemption and life change. Also, reflect on the previous year and talk about how you have grown in your faith individually and as a family.

19. Make Easter breakfast with boiled eggs.

20. A new Sunday outfit for church symbolizes 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

21. Attend the Easter service together as a family at church.

22. Go for a long walk in the forest or park together and take the local train back to enjoy the scenery.

23. Share an Easter meal that includes lamb and talk about the symbolism in the Passover story. Eat the edible playdough empty tomb made on Friday as desert.

24. Conducting our Weekly Family Meeting Night in candle light.

On 6th April...

25. Celebrate our Little FECS' spiritual birthday with a token piece of cake to be shared among three of us and a small present, as on 6th April 2012 Good Friday, he accepted Christ at a tender age of 3 years old.

http://www.familyfecs.com/2012/04/joshua-summary-3y1m1d-joshua-accepted.html

References:

http://www.faithgateway.com/christ-centered-family-easter-traditions/#.VJ32Nl4AAA
http://powerofmoms.com/2013/03/easter-week-ideas/
http://mybellemichelle.com/a-christ-centered-easter-week-family-holiday-traditions/
http://www.pinterest.com/brosimonsays/christ-centered-easter/
http://www.pinterest.com/bakercatherine/keeping-easter-christ-centered/
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/03/creating-christ-centered-easter-traditions?lang=eng
http://beinglds.blogspot.dk/p/easter-crafts-about-christ.html
http://amysfreeideas.com/English/10_Christ_centered_Easter_activities_for_the_family.html
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1146&sid=19755096
http://www.circleofmoms.com/christian-mommies/family-godly-traditions-376661

Here is a Christ-centered traditions book "Find More Jesus: Make  Easter All About Jesus" which is available from Amazon:

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