Five ways to celebrate Easter in quarantine

Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE holidays. I look froward to just about every one for its own reason. Well, Halloween not so much because I’m a fraidy-cat, but I do my best.

I won’t be gathering with my family to celebrate Easter due to the quarantine, so I know first-hand how hard it is to look forward to the holiday. However, I’ve found ways to include some of my family’s Easter traditions at my home to help keep my spirits up. Here are five ways to lift your Easter spirit:

1. Decorate

By far, the quickest and easiest way to get me into the spirit for any holiday is by decorating, and my favorite Easter decoration is the Easter Tree. I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve had several decorated Easter trees, in addition to my other decor, scattered around my house for nearly three weeks now.

Growing up, my family and I would find a bare tree limb (no more than three feet long), stick it base-first into a 5-gallon bucket, and decorate it with ornaments, ribbon, or whatever we had available. Now, the creative possibilities are endless! Check out these 25 DIY Easter Tree Ideas from Country Living and you’ll see what I mean.

Don’t be afraid to do a simple Google search to find hundreds, if not thousands, of other creative and homemade decor ideas, too!

2. Color Easter eggs

Coloring Easter eggs has always been one of my favorite Easter traditions. It taught me a lot about the beauty of patience; I still struggle waiting for the eggs to sit in the color cups long enough to embody that rich color. It’s a fun activity at any age and offers a creative outlet which can be especially helpful in isolation.

Egg dying kits are typically available at your local grocery store, but if you can’t or weren’t able to pick up a kit, McCormick has a great web page dedicated to all things Easter egg. You could also use markers, crayons, or paper to create your egg-cellent masterpieces.

3. Dress up

Just because you don’t have anywhere to go, doesn’t mean you can’t dress in your Sunday best, right? Pick something out of your closet that makes you feel great, and wear it around the house. Your mood will improve and you’ll feel more confident; who doesn’t want more of that in their life? Take it up a notch and do your hair and makeup too. Show yourself a little self love and pamper yourself a bit; you deserve it! In fact, have the whole family get dressed up and have an Easter parade through your living room!

4. Watch an Easter movie

Yes, an Easter movie. Christmas movies, and even Halloween movies outnumber Easter movies by far, but there are still a few that are sure to please. My personal favorites are The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town (1977) and Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971) (I’m a sucker for family-friendly movies in this style), but if you’re looking for something a bit more modern or religious, check out Oprah’s 25 Best Easter Movies to Keep the Entire Family Entertained for inspiration.

5. Have family dinner, virtually

Technology has gifted us with more digital avenues to connect with people than ever before. Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangout, Facebook Live, and House Party, and Zoom are just a few video platforms available for free. Find a platform that works for your family and friends (make sure you all have an account if it is needed), set a time, and meet up for dinner! Chat, laugh, and play games, just like you would in person.

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