Bringing Understanding to Easter

Monica Irvine
Founder and President
of The Etiquette Factory,
a unique 3-phase etiquette learning system designed to change the world, one child at a time.

I love Easter, especially here in the United States where Easter falls in springtime which brings with it so much symbolism and unique recognition to the glory of it all. How can we help our children enter this holiday with reverence and anticipation for the good news of the resurrection?

May I offer a few suggestions to help your family prepare for this sacred holiday?

There is no better way to bring the spirit of Easter into your home than to spend a little time during the week leading up to Easter in the Gospels. Each day, read a chapter or two to turn the hearts and minds of your children to the Savior. It’s easy to get caught up in Easter eggs and new Easter clothes, but if you truly want to be encompassed in the love of God, help your family to remember why we celebrate this special day and the true gift of Easter. (Suggested Bible reading: Matthew – chapters 26-28, Mark – chapters 14-16, Luke – chapters 22-24, and John – chapters 17-21.)
Look for symbolism and help your children to identify it too. There are no rules to symbolism. Basically, symbolism is very personal but the Lord has always used symbolism to help his children remember him – such as the symbol of the rainbow in helping us to remember his promise to us. Ask your children to find one thing in nature this week that reminds them of the Savior. Have them illustrate their finding with a poem, a piece of artwork or some other way to express what they found. As an example, I love the symbol of rebirth – perhaps the butterfly, or perhaps a tree or perhaps a flower. In the winter, these things appear to die. They become old, brittle, wilted, etc. Yet in the spring, we find that these things were not dead at all, but simply sleeping while they became even more beautiful. This is a beautiful symbol of what happens when our bodies age and become old, brittle and wilted. It reminds us of the glorious things that await us after this mortal experience.

Spend some time together as a family. Sure it’s fun to dye Easter eggs and shop for a new Easter outfit, but remember that as you and your family take the time to recognize the beauty of the earth, recognize the gift of family and recognize the gift of eternal life, that we are indeed recognizing the hand of God in our lives. Being grateful is one of the best ways to come closer to God. During the week of Easter is a great time to create a “Gratitude Chart”. Purchase a large poster and hang it on the refrigerator or a wall. Perhaps let your children decorate the edges with spring colors and ribbons. Then, throughout the week leading up to Easter, invite your children to write one thing each day on the chart that they are grateful for. As your family focuses on their blessings during this week, their hearts will be better prepared to appreciate the greatest gift of all, and that is our Savior Jesus Christ.

May we approach Easter with great anticipation. We are so blessed to know that our Savior died so that we might live. Our Easter celebration should reflect our gratitude for this great gift.

Very best,

Monica Irvine