Nine (Social Distancing-Approved) Ways To Have A Happy Easter

Let’s face it: This COVID-19 quarantine is hard. Many of us are getting desperately tired of being at home. It’s challenging to keep your mind — and your kids — occupied within your own four walls. Unfortunately, this pandemic is not yet under control, and by all professional accounts, it’s going to take some time to flatten the curve. Responsible citizens are going to have to practice social distancing and stay in for a while longer.

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Even during a pandemic, the days keep passing, and now Easter is quickly approaching. It looks like those of us who celebrate it are going to be doing that at home this year.

Honestly, it’s a bummer for me. I LOVE Easter. To me, Easter feels like the true beginning of spring.

This year was going to be even more special than usual. We just had our last baby, and this year would have been the first Easter Bunny photo with all my babies. I bought the matching outfits for that photo in early February. I envisioned going to church, getting brunch with my parents, and having a gigantic egg hunt with all of our friends. All of it is canceled.

Needless to say, we won’t have the Easter I imagined, but I’m hopeful that with a little planning, we can still have an Easter to remember.

Here are some ways to make this Easter special right in your very own home.

1. Dress up, if that’s what you like to do.

I’m not wasting those matching outfits or the cute Easter jammies. My kids are going to wake up in matching jammies, brush their teeth, comb their hair and get those identical plaid outfits on. I’m going to see my baby girl in her bonnet on her first Easter as planned. We might be staying in, but we can do it in style. Video chat with your loved ones so everyone can see your Sunday best.

If your crew hates dressing up, good news! You’re off the hook. Pajama Easter is a totally valid option.

2. Don’t forget the Easter eggs.

Since eggs are hard to find in stores right now, you might think you have to skip dyeing them this year. You don’t! Just scale back. Boil half a dozen eggs, let the kids paint, color or dye them, and then whip up a batch of deviled eggs or a quick egg salad for lunch. Just make sure your chosen egg dye is food safe.

If your Easter bunny usually hides decorated boiled eggs, this is a good year to change that up. Boiled eggs need to be refrigerated, so it’s safer to use plastic eggs for the egg hunt anyway (and you can reuse them year after year).

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3. Take those special holiday pictures.

You might not have a human-sized bunny on hand, but you can still get a cute photo — and you won’t have to waste an afternoon waiting in line in a crowded mall this year. Start figuring out how to set the timer on your camera or phone. Designate one spot indoors and one outdoors, and determine where you can prop up the camera for a family photo. Browse Instagram for ideas, and document this highly unusual Easter. Someday, our kids and grandchildren might want to see how we made it through this unprecedented time.

4. Cook a big dinner.

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If holidays at your house mean a fancy meal, then make a big dinner! Just plan ahead and use things you have on hand or things you can easily get on your next necessary grocery run. If your holiday tradition is a beautiful dinner on your grandmother’s china, there’s no reason you have to skip that. Just be flexible and don’t buy more than you need to make it happen. Make sure you make use of any leftovers, because voluntary isolation is a time when we really must adopt a “waste not, want not” mindset in order to minimize our trips out.

5. Plan a fun breakfast.

I love cooking, but I think I’ll skip the big dinner this year. Breakfast sounds like the perfect time to invite a little whimsy into our Easter morning. I’m planning to whip up these adorable pancakes. If you can make simple, round pancakes, you can make this cute little bunny butt for a special Easter treat. That whipped cream tail! Adorable.

6. Plan a few crafts to fill the day with Easter-themed fun.

I’ll be honest. We don’t usually do crafts. I don’t keep tons of arts and crafts materials on hand, and I definitely don’t think now is the time for a trip to the hobby store. But the internet is an amazing place to grab inspiration. Even a hot mess, non-crafty mom like me can find a way to slap a few household things together and call it an art project. This Pinterest board is full of bunnylicious ideas.

7. Head up a social-distancing-friendly neighborhood “egg hunt!”

If you belong to an online neighborhood group, suggest that everyone “hide” colorful paper easter eggs by taping them to their doors and windows. Families can take a walk to try to spot them, and wave to neighbors from a safe distance as they pass. This printable is a perfect template for making paper eggs of different sizes.

Just like the shamrocks many of us saw on St. Patrick’s Day, these Easter eggs can create another chance to foster human connection while keeping a safe physical distance.

Maybe every single thing on this list sounds exhausting, annoying or otherwise just completely not doable to you right now. That’s okay. Everyone is handling this complete upheaval differently. If you just can’t do a high energy Easter this year, that’s totally okay. The last two suggestions are for you.

8. Take the pressure off.

Easter shouldn’t be anxiety-inducing, stressful and upsetting. Grab a pre-made Easter basket on your weekly grocery run and call it a day. Don’t make yourself miserable trying to create magic if it comes at the expense of your peace.

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9. Postpone it or even skip it altogether.

If your kids are too little to understand the calendar, don’t even tell them it’s Easter. If your littles are old enough to understand, explain that you’re “saving” Easter for a time when you can do the things you usually do. The Easter Bunny can even write your kids a letter promising to come visit them at a later date. Your religious service might not wait, but everything else can happen whenever you choose.

If you don’t want to have to worry about it later, just let the day pass you by. Easter will be back next year.

However you do Easter 2020, you’re doing it right. All the rules have changed, so we can’t do some of the things we always do. Whether you decide to do it big, keep it simple, postpone it or even just cancel, as long as you stay at home, you’re doing the right thing.