My favorite holiday is Easter. I feel like it’s an overlooked holiday that deserves more attention. I’m not really talking about the secular side of Easter, although I do think that even egg-hunts and the Easter bunny can be symbolic and point us to the real meaning of Easter. But the part about Easter I love most is the feeling of springtime as a symbol of the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I get a happy feeling of renewal and joy whenever I think about Easter because, to me, it’s a holiday that’s full of hope and light. That’s what I feel like Easter is all about – Hope.
The atonement of Jesus Christ offers us hope. As much as I love Christmas, I think Easter is even better because without the resurrection, there wouldn’t even be a reason to celebrate the Savior’s birth. But because Jesus Christ accomplished the atonement and overcame death, Easter happened, and life is full of miracles! We have the miracle of forgiveness, of overcoming our weaknesses and shortcomings, of becoming completely cleansed from our sins and of returning to live with Heavenly Father and with our families forever. Just thinking about it is refreshing and motivating for me. What greater miracle could we ask for than the atonement of Jesus Christ? I think that’s definitely worth celebrating.
Growing up, we didn’t have any extraordinary traditions at Eastertime, other than Easter egg hunts, a nice family dinner, and waking up to an Easter basket full of goodies on Easter morning. But I always felt the spirit in our home that day and it always felt like a special day. Maybe part of it had to do with the fact that it felt more peaceful than other holidays – we didn’t have to worry about all the festivities that can bring stress at other holidays.
I want to keep that peaceful feeling at Eastertime, but I think I’d like to really emphasize celebrating Easter with my children, by finding simple but meaningful ways to focus on Christ. In other words, I want Easter to feel like a big deal. I’ve been thinking about ideas of family rituals/traditions we could start doing around Eastertime. Maybe something as simple as watching a special film about Christ or gathering the family around to sing songs about the resurrection, or adding a little more symbolism to the egg hunt.
Really though, I feel like the greatest reminder of the real meaning of Easter is the feeling of springtime – of flowers blossoming, birds chirping, babies being born, and the frozen world turning warm and alive and colorful again – a symbol of the possibility that our “frozen” lives can be transformed by the empowering influence of the atonement in our lives. Does that make sense? I hope so. Hooray for Easter!
