Our vision is to inspire, empower, educate one another through ongoing community exchange. One of the ways we would like to do this in 2014 is through our Friday Community column, in a monthly series called In Your Words. We reached out to our guest writers to ask them a question.
Read what they have to say and share your answer in the comments below.
This month: What is your favorite family Easter tradition?
As a kid, I had precious few experiences with Easter traditions apart from spending an awful lot of time at church. We spent most Easter Sundays waiting for my dad (a pastor) to shake every hand and hear about every impending Easter lunch.
When I met my husband, his mother introduced me to their family Easter egg hunt. She hid 100 eggs inside their home, filling them with candy, but more importantly to two college students, money! I watched three teenagers race around the house, squealing with pleasure over these found treasures. My future mother-in-law followed them around the house smiling, ready to help them with the final tally.
My husband and I do the same every year for our three children. Hiding 75 coin-filled plastic eggs in the most obscure places, smiles in place, camera at the ready. Church is an important part of our tradition too, but I hope our kids remember them both. Resurrection and treasure hunting--each one a down payment on their spirit and their childhood memories.
Kimberly Coyle - www.kimberlyanncoyle.com
Our family has southern roots, so a lot of our traditions surround food. We will share a meal with family, including roast pork and duck. There are always fresh beignets on Easter Sunday morning, puffy and hollow, like an empty tomb.
Chelle - Treat Me To A Feast
My favorite family Easter Tradition is spending time with my extended family. It's simple. We come together and share a special meal. I love our time at Easter and I love my family.
Joy Kay - Lax Mom Joy
Our only tradition is that we don't have a tradition. It's often my nephew's birthday party. Sometimes we go out to eat. Other times we have a family dinner.
But one thing we always do is go to our church's outdoor SonRose service. It's at 8:00 a.m., followed by a breakfast for the whole church and the traditional Easter service at 10:00.
Susan Panzica - Eternity Cafe
Definitely going to Easter sunrise service. It's been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember and we've even gotten up with infants to go out in the cold early on Easter Sunday to sing "Christ Our Lord is Risen Today! Alleluia!"
Jennifer - Swing Whistle Zing
My favorite Easter tradition is making the Resurrection Rolls with my kids either the night before or the morning of and talking through the Easter story while we do it. The kids love this.
Once the rolls are eaten, we get dressed up and head to church. When we lived closer to family, we would eat at my Grandmother's after church and then maybe do some Easter egg hunting. Since we live several states away now, I try to cook and replicate her meals as best as I can and, of course, we hide our own eggs for the kids to hunt. I don't think kids ever outgrow the hunt of Easter eggs!
Alecia Simersky - There's Something Different
We always have an Easter egg hunt in my in-laws house. My boys are 12 and 15 and they still look forward to this. Of course, part of that is because my in-laws have started putting money in the eggs rather than candy! :)
We always go to church in the morning together (but that isn't that different than any other Sunday). This year, I've been trying to observe Lent - just to keep my mind focused on the weeks leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection. I want to be more intentional about Easter this year. :)
Rosanne Bowman - Divine Ordinary
Nothing speaks to my soul like a sunrise service! One year a church I attended held it outside in a garden on our property complete with an "angel" to tell us He is Risen! When the kids were little, we would head home after the service for an Easter egg hunt...then the adults had to leave the room as the kids hid the eggs for us to find.
Toni Campbell - Lakeside Lessons
One of my favorite Easter traditions is getting an Easter dress for me and my daughter. We attend a church where we can come dressed casually on Sunday. It's nice to make Easter a little extra special where we get dressed up to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus!
Noelle Rhodes - Coffee with Noelle
Now it's your turn, What is your favorite family Easter tradition? Share your answer in the comments below.
photo credit: Creationswap by Travis Silva