Easter is such a great mystery that it cannot be contained in just one Sunday—it spills over into 50 joyful days. But once the candy is gone and the eggs have all been found, how can the spirit of Easter continue? What does it mean to live as Easter people in everyday life
Eastertide invites a continued celebration of hope, joy, and new life. It is a season to carry the message of the Resurrection into daily routines through simple, meaningful practices—at home, at church, with friends, or in quiet moments alone.
This year, you’re invited to share ideas for intentionally “keeping Easter alive” throughout these 50 days. What traditions, prayers, acts of kindness, or small celebrations help keep the joy of Easter present? Whether it is lighting a candle at dinner, sharing meals with loved ones, spending time in nature, or reaching out to someone in need, each practice can serve as a reminder that Easter is not just a day—it is a way of living.
Let’s work together on a list of 50 things we might try during the season. The expectation is not that we would each do something everyday – but that we can notice and participate in things that help us remember the season.
Have some to add? Fill out the form below!
- Check out a resource from Forward Movement for reflections you might want to use for the season.
2. Did you keep a gratitude list during Lent? If so choose something from the list and share with a friend.
3. Go somewhere to notice the sunset.
4. Have a fire in a fire pit and look up some history of the paschal candle.
5. Lots of things begin again at Eastertide. Spring is bringing all sorts of new life around us. Take a walk around your neighborhood and look for signs of new life.
6. Use chalk to decorate the sidewalk around your home with Easter words and symbols
7. The Gospels tell us several stories of Jesus and the disciples sharing food between the resurrection and the day of Pentecost. Make it a point to have a sit-down meal together at least once a week. Include all the trimmings: tablecloth, candles, dessert, etc.
8. Remembering our baptisms with water – go swimming, or head to the Riverwalk to watch for rafters!
9. Listen to favorite Easter hymns, and sing along. (Here’s one option on YouTube.)
10. Freeze left-over Easter basket candy, and eat a bit each Sunday during the 50 days.
11. Listen to a recording of the Easter portion of Handel’s “Messiah.”
12. End everyday prayers with the word “Alleluia.”
13. Bake cross-shaped cookies, and decorate them with flowers made from icing.
14. Ask your child to think of as many Easter-related words as they can. Write these down with pretty inks or markers, and frame the list.
15. Plant seeds both literally and seeds of kindness to a stranger.
16. Decorate with fresh flowers in your home or desk. See how far you can make one grocery store bouquet stretch!
17. Keep a jar of jellybeans on your counter and treat yourself to one at a time for acts of kindness or when you notice signs of new life.
18. Change the background on your phone to some stunning piece of artwork celebrating the resurrection or a beautiful flower you notice.
19. Use the word alleluia whenever possible. Try to replace all other positive exclamations with this one!
20. Get an Easter-themed manicure. When people comment on it, tell them it’s for Easter. Be prepared to explain that it’s still Easter.
21. Search Pinterest for an Easter craft and do it yourself or with children. Talk about how its still Easter! Here’s one suggestion for a tissue paper suncatcher.
22. Make a resurrection garden.
23. Celebrate Ascension Day – this year on May 14. Celebrate with us at St. Thomas on May 13.
24. Wear red on Pentecost Sunday!
25. Make a Pentecost Cake to celebrate the birthday of the Church
26. Read the story of the resurrection from each Gospel account, pick one to do per week, compare and contrast the accounts.
27. Read the road to Emmaus and go on a family walk.
28. Butterflies are a symbol of Easter, order a butterfly kit to grow at home.
29. Decide what you think qualifies as an “Easter Movie” and watch one!
30. Have dessert every night.
31. Have an Easter Egg Hunt every Sunday in Easter Season. Switch it up to find coins in eggs, use glow in the dark eggs, or borrow wooden eggs from church to hide!
32. Create a paper chain for the season with signs of new life on each link.
33. Make or send an Easter card to someone who might need a reminder that Christ is Risen!
34. Because of Christ’s Resurrection, Easter is a time of renewal. Organize a group to clean someone’s home or yard as a reminder of renewal.
35. Attend an Outdoor Workday at St. Thomas and help spring clean our grounds (these are the first Saturday of each month from 9-12).
36. Stop by the pollinator garden at St. Thomas near the chapel and see what signs of new life are there!
37. Have an NT Wright style Easter party! N.T. Wright, an Anglican theologian, once wrote this about Eastertide: “We are Easter people! We stand on resurrection ground. Easter is not only our greatest party (much greater by the way than Christmas, whatever you do on Christmas you ought to do ten times as much at Easter); Easter is the only reason we are here at all! We should meet regularly for Easter parties. We should drink champagne at breakfast. We should renew baptismal vows with splashing water all over the place. And we should sing and dance and blow trumpets and put out banners in the streets. And we should invite the homeless people to parties and we should go around town doing random acts of generosity and celebration. We should be doing things which would make our sober and serious neighbors say, ‘What is the meaning of this outrageous party?’”
38. Start the day with an Easter greeting:
Start every morning by saying to your family, “Happy Eastertide!” Wake your children with this life-changing message. “Good Morning, Child of Mine. Guess what? Love wins!” Kiss your partner with a “Happy Easter” wish. If you live alone, look yourself in the mirror and say, with enthusiasm, “Happy Easter, Beautiful!”
39. Lighten Up: Don’t wear black. Consider wearing bright colors! If you just have to wear that black shirt, how about some lavender socks. Come on, let’s not take ourselves so seriously… no one wears black to a garden party! Ideas 38 and 39 came from here.
40. Renew your spring and Easter wardrobe by giving clothes you have not worn in over a year and give them to Goodwill, a homeless shelter, or save them for the St. Thomas yard sale.
41. Fly a kite! Join us for Ascension Day (Eve) activities at St. Thomas on May 13 and we’ll provide the kite!