April 3, 2020
Easter is right around the corner!
With everyone practicing social distancing due to COVID-19, Easter traditions will be a little different this year. Below are seven tips for making new traditions at home.
DIY EASTER EGG DYE
Three simple ingredients are needed for this family-friendly fun!
1 dozen large eggs, vinegar, and assorted food colors
No vinegar? No problem. Replace it with equal amounts of lemon juice.
Here’s how you do it:
Gently place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Cover. Bring just to a boil on high heat. Remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes. (Adjust time up or down by 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller).
Pour out hot water and rapidly cool eggs by running them under cold water (or place in ice water) until completely cooled.
Mix 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 10 to 20 drops of food color in a cup to achieve desired colors. Repeat for each color. Dip hard-cooked eggs in dye for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon, wire egg holder or tongs to add and remove eggs from dye. Allow eggs to dry.
EASTER EGG HUNTS
Here are a few recommendations of how to make this year’s Easter Egg Hunts a hit with your kids:
- Hide eggs around the house and yard — designate one egg with an extra special prize, like more candy, a toy, or a gift card.
- If you cannot find last year’s plastic eggs or forget to pick some up on your essentials grocery trip, hide small toys like action figures, hot wheels, and dolls instead.
- Make the egg hunt fun for older kids by creating a get-out-of-a-chore egg hunt. Write chores on pieces of paper and hide the eggs. Each egg that your kids find gets them out of that chore for a day.
- Write activities on pieces of paper: hula hoop for 10 seconds, dance for 1 minute, compliment a parent, compliment a sibling … then hide the eggs and watch the silliness unfold.
- Play a game of musical egg hunt! Hide the eggs, play a favorite song, and let the kids race to find the eggs before the song is over. Any eggs left after the song ends goes into a family candy bucket.
- Did you run out of eggs — or want to save the eggs for another recipe? You can always paint rocks in bright colors to hide around your yard!
CRAFTS
Here are a few simple ideas using items you have around your home.
1. Easter Door Wreath
What you need: cardboard box, scissors or box cutter, glue, pastel-colored Easter grass, plastic Easter eggs, hot glue or crafting glue.
How you do it: Cut a circle out of the cardboard box. Cut the inside of the circle out as well. (You can even make an egg shaped cut out of the cardboard if you want a more festive look!) Using the hot glue or crafting glue, attach a layer of pastel colored Easter grass. Secure the plastic Easter eggs to the top of the grass using the glue. Attach a bow (if desired) and hang on your door once dry.
2. Easter Bunny Trail
Create a trail of candy from your kids’ bedroom doors to their Easter baskets. They’ll wake up and have a blast following the trail to discover their goodies delivered by the Easter Bunny!
3. Easter Egg String Baskets
ATTEND A CHURCH SERVICE
Dress up just as you would to attend an Easter service!
Since social distancing has closed the doors of church’s around the country, many services are now being podcast. Gather your family around your computer, television, or mobile device and tune into an Easter live stream.
If your church does not offer this service, try a new church (maybe even one that is not in New Orleans) or pull out your Bible and read versus related to Easter. Here are a few versus to consider.
CELEBRATE WITH YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY
Just because you can’t be with family physically doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holidays together! Make your celebration a virtual one using Facetime, Google Duo, Zoom, Skype, or any other virtual meeting platform of your choosing.
CELEBRATE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS
Reach out to your neighbors (through your neighborhood Facebook group, on Next Door, or with a simple phone call) and get everyone involved with these fun suggestions:
- Bunny Scavenger Hunt
Have your neighbors hide a bunny so that it is visible from their front yard. This could be a stuffed animal in the front window, yard decoration, or even a chalk drawing. On Easter, take the family out for a walk and search for bunnies. - Egg Art
Let your little ones show off their art skills. Create a colorful and unique egg using items you have around the house. Then, tape the egg in your front window for neighbors to enjoy. - Chalk Art
Decorate the end of your driveway with chalk — make colorful flowers, write inspirational quotes, or draw an Easter themed mural. Your neighbors will enjoy seeing the creativity during their outings.
WATCH EASTER-THEMED MOVIES
There is no better way to practice social distancing than with a movie! Below are some fun movies to watch as a family and where you can stream them.
- HOP
A jobless slacker finds himself beyond busy after he runs over the Easter Bunny and has to take over the rabbit’s duties so the holiday can continue. Rated PG (Netflix) - The New Adventures of Peter Rabbit
Hop into this delightful version of Beatrix Potter’s classic story in the marvelously animated, song-and-laughter-filled adventure. Peter learns that being honest and sticking together is what counts! (Amazon Prime) - Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo
Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming and Roo, Pooh, and Tiger are ready to laugh and play. But Rabbit expects them all to stay inside until every last bit of spring cleaning is finished. Can anything — or anyone — change Rabbit’s mind? Rated G (Disney+) - Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
The iconic rock opera stars John Legend in the title role, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper as King Herod. Rated PG (NBC; April 12, 6-8:30 pm) - Easter Parade
An Oscar-winning score that features 17 Irving Berlin songs drives this romp about a hoofer who tries to mold a singer into a Broadway star. Not rated (TCM; April 12, 7-9 pm)