The True Meaning of Easter
Winter is over, and the long-awaited spring is just around the corner. Everywhere we look, we see colorful decorations and Easter-themed products. In kindergartens and schools, children are busy crafting, and stores are filled with spring items. Yet, very little of this points to the true meaning of Easter. How can we, as families, celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection in a Christ-centered way and pass on this important message?
This article invites you to celebrate Easter with intention and a Christ-centered focus—featuring seven meaningful ideas that you can enjoy with or without children.
In the often hectic time leading up to Easter—amid gifts, decorations, spring cleaning, and busy schedules—it’s easy to find ourselves rushing into the holiday feeling stressed. To help you and your family truly experience peace, I’ve put together some suggestions on how to spend these days intentionally and meaningfully in God’s presence.
1. Lent
Even if you don’t come from a Catholic background, the 40-day season of Lent is a great opportunity to reflect on Holy Week and give God more space in your life. Fasting doesn’t always have to mean giving up food—there are other things that can distract us from spending time with Jesus or that simply aren’t good for us. I want to encourage you not to observe Lent out of obligation or guilt, but to see it as an opportunity—and to decide each year if and how it feels right for you.
Personally, I like to give up refined sugar or social media during this time. But there are many possibilities—why not ask God what might not be serving you well and where a break could be beneficial?
And if you feel like you’re “late” to start, why not fast for the seven days leading up to Resurrection Sunday?
2. Resurrection Garden: Bringing Jesus’ Story to Life
A Resurrection Garden (or an empty tomb display) is a beautiful and hands-on way to bring the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection to life—especially for children.
You can easily find all the materials you need in the woods, a park, or your own garden.
You’ll need:
- A plate or shallow dish
- A few thin sticks
- Some moss (or grass)
- A few stones in different sizes
- A tea light
- A toilet paper roll
There are no limits to creativity here! We’ve made this a couple of times, and the kids absolutely love it. The stone covering the tomb remains in place until Good Friday, and on Easter Sunday, the children roll it away to symbolize Jesus’ resurrection.
3. Reading the Easter Story: For Kids and Adults
Reading the Easter story is the best way to truly understand and reflect on it—both for adults in their personal time with God and for families with children. We use a children’s Bible and divide the story into seven days, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Bible Reading Plan for Adults:
Day 1: Palm Sunday – Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
📖 Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19
Day 2: Monday – Jesus Cleanses the Temple
📖 Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48
Day 3: Tuesday – Teachings and Confrontations
📖 Matthew 21:23-46; Matthew 22:1-46; Matthew 23; Mark 12:1-44; Luke 20:1-47
Day 4: Wednesday – A Day of Rest and Preparation
📖 Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6
Day 5: Maundy Thursday – The Last Supper
📖 Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-20; John 13:1-17
Day 6: Good Friday – Jesus’ Crucifixion
📖 Matthew 27:1-61; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 23:1-56; John 18:28-19:42
Day 7: Easter Sunday – The Resurrection
📖 Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18
Tip for Kids: The YouVersion Kids Bible App offers interactive Bible stories that can be read aloud. Children can touch the pictures, color, and arrange story sequences.
4. Baking an Easter Lamb: A Sweet Tradition
Another wonderful tradition is baking a lamb cake with the kids. If any animal symbolizes this season, it’s the lamb—Jesus is our Passover and sacrificial lamb.
“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7
Just as the blood of the lamb protected the Israelites in Egypt, Jesus’ blood has saved us.
Ingredients:
- 200 g butter
- 250 g sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 5 eggs (M)
- 375 g flour
- Lemon zest (optional)
- 5 tbsp milk
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
Instructions:
- All ingredients should be at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge 2 hours in advance.
- Beat the butter until creamy, then add sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Combine flour and baking powder, sift them into the batter, and mix in the milk.
- Grease the lamb-shaped baking mold well with butter and dust it with flour to ensure easy release.
- Fill the mold only up to ⅔ full, as the batter will rise. This recipe makes 2-3 lamb cakes, so you’ll have some extra batter.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat) or 160°C (fan) and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the mold, let it cool, dust with powdered sugar, and tie a ribbon around it for decoration.
Find a lamb-shaped baking mold here
5. Films and Shows: Bringing the Story to Life
Sometimes, movies help bring biblical stories to life in a special way. Here are two great options:
- Superbook – An animated series on YouTube with child-friendly Bible stories, including episodes on Easter and the Resurrection or the Last Supper.
- The Prince of Egypt – A beautiful movie about the Exodus, showing how God freed His people.
Easter in the Western world coincides with the Jewish Passover. Jesus Himself celebrated Passover. This festival reminds us of how God delivered the Israelites from Egypt—the lamb’s blood on the doorposts foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus.
(I recommend previewing any Easter films beforehand to ensure they are appropriate for your children’s age.)
6. Meaningful Easter Gifts
We don’t do Easter egg hunts, but we do like to give small gifts—because Jesus’ resurrection is a wonderful reason to spread joy! Whether for family, friends, or church members, gifts with deeper meaning can be a great alternative to chocolates and eggs.
Some ideas:
- A book with an encouraging message
- A handwritten card with a Bible verse
- A small cross as a reminder of Jesus’ love
Even a small gesture can bring encouragement and remind others of the true meaning of Easter.
7. Sharing the Message
Easter isn’t about eggs, bunnies, or chocolate—it’s about God’s greatest sacrifice. This message is the key to eternal life. There are many ways to talk about Jesus during this season and share what He has done for us.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:32
Let’s share the joy of Jesus’ resurrection with our children, friends, and families—through small gestures, honest conversations, creative activities, and heartfelt reminders of His love. May this Easter fill our hearts with renewed hope and gratitude!
