11 Ideas for How to Celebrate Easter

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Are you looking for a Christ-centered answer to how to celebrate Easter as a Christian?

Growing up Easter was one of my favorite times of the year. We’d wake up Easter morning and before leaving the house for church my mom would take the time to grace all 7 of us kids with a special Easter gift.

Our church always found a fun way to celebrate too. I’ll share more about those shortly. My memories of Easter have always been joyful and Christ-focused.

It wasn’t until I became a mom and my husband and I started researching origins and talking about our own beliefs and traditions that we started to have questions.

Should Christian celebrate Easter?
Is Easter Pagan?
What does Easter mean to a Christian?
Is Easter Biblical? If so, why don’t some Christians celebrate Easter?

I’ve had this conversation with many Christian friends, some even in church leadership, and what’s interesting is that we have all come to different conclusions about Easter, its roots, and if Christians should be a part of the Easter celebration.

Where some gave a hard no, and others an enthusiastic yes, I found myself somewhere in between. Maybe you can relate? In the first part of this article, I’m going to present my line of thought, because I know I’m not alone in where I stand. There are many who find themselves in this in-between space, and I want you to know, it’s ok for you to be there.

The second half of this article will provide fun ideas for how to celebrate Easter Sunday in a way that honors God and points others to Him.

Should Christians Celebrate Easter?

Growing up I was always taught that Easter is about Jesus. It’s the day the Christian community comes together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Simple enough, right? That definition has stuck with me for nearly 30 years.

One day, however, my husband showed me an article that presented some really interesting thoughts about Easter and its origins. All this sudden I found myself wondering, is Easter a pagan holiday? There’s a whole world of research out there trying to convince us that it is. Some of it really horrific.

Instead of dragging myself through all the religious faces about Easter and what it is or isn’t – I decided to approach the day a little bit differently.

I remember my mom telling me a silly story about an elementary-aged me who went to school with her sweatshirt on backward. And whenever someone would ask me why I would say, “this is the day that the Lord has made and some people have that backward.”

Some may see Easter as a pagan holiday. My response to that notion is this, like every other day in the world, “this is the day that the Lord has made and some people have that backward.” I can’t control what anybody else chooses to celebrate on Easter or how they choose to celebrate.

What I do know, is that Easter in our house (or what we call Resurrection Day) is 100% all about Jesus. And on this day, we will give glory where glory is due; to God and God alone. You’ll see what I mean when you start digging into our free Easter Bible Reading plan. 

What Does Easter Mean to A Christian?

For the majority of Christians, Easter is a time of celebration. It’s when we look back at the greatest demonstration of God’s love to date and the overwhelming victory that came out of it. To really understand the answer to “why should we celebrate Easter?” we have to have knowledge of three things:

1. Sin exists (there is a such thing as right and wrong).
2. Sin is destructive.
3. We all sin and fall short of righteousness (goodness).

In the Bible, Paul teaches, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Why do Christians celebrate Easter? Because Easter paved the way for us to receive the gift of God that Paul talks about. It represents the fullness of God’s love towards us and the action that frees those who love God from the destruction of sin.

In the gospel of John Jesus said to his disciples,

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13

That’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me on Good Friday. Jesus (God in the flesh) laid down his life for the people He loved.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

On Good Friday we celebrate the depths of God’s love for us. Easter for us is an expression of gratitude. Though that’s reason enough to be grateful there is more to the story than the death of Jesus. To understand the heart of the Easter Celebration, you have to understand what happened to Jesus on Easter Sunday.

What Happened to Jesus On Easter Sunday?

We talked about the harsh reality that sin exists and the destruction it brings is real. This has been the case since Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden; sin has been chipping away at our quality of life; polluting it and the substance of it. God wants to redeem what sin has tried to destroy; starting with people and expanding to all creation. How did this redemption begin? Paul describes it this way,

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:19

When Jesus was crucified on the cross He took the eternal penalty of our sins upon Himself; so that instead of receiving death, we could know eternal life.

What happened to Jesus on Easter Sunday? This is how the story reads in the gospel of Luke.

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it happened as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you see the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!..
Luke 24:1-6

When Jesus resurrected on Easter Sunday He showed the entire world – all creation, those in heaven and earth, the angels, the saints, demons and devils; that He is indeed the Savior God promised would come to save the people from sin and it’s destruction. This is explained in the next verses.

…Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee “saying, ‘the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day risen again.’”
Luke 24:6-7

What God promised came to pass.
Jesus came as Messiah, He gave His life for the people He loved, and He overcame sin and death for eternity.

That is why Christians celebrate Easter. Simply put God is worthy of our praise and celebration.

Maybe you’re someone who knows the Easter story but wants to know, does the Bible say to celebrate Easter? That’s a fair question and I honor your diligence in searching for an answer. In the next portion of this article we’re going to focus on answering the question what did the Bible say about Easter?

Is Easter Biblical?

Here are some religious facts about Easter that you might not already know.

• Documentation of Easter (Jesus’ resurrection) celebrations date all the way back to the second century.
• Early Christians used to observe Christ’s resurrection on a weekly basis through what we call communion.
• People are in conflict over the origins of Easter traditions (egg dying, easter bunny, etc.). Most agree that these traditions have been around since the thirteenth century. For every source that claims they are pagan, there is another source that claims they are not.

These facts aside, what did the Bible say about Easter?

The truth is, you won’t find much instruction about Easter in the Bible, at least not in the context of what it has become today.

The one Easter tradition I’ve come across in the Bible happened the night of the Last Supper, which was all the night of the annual Passover Feast. It was initiated by Jesus and preserved by his followers. It’s what we call communion.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks He broke it and said, “Take and eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the same manner also He took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23

Paul is teaching the believers in Corinth that by partaking in the Lord’s Supper we are remembering the love God expressed for us and our solemn (yet joyful) commitment to Him.

Why don’t some Christians celebrate Easter?

Most Christians don’t have a problem with the Resurrection story. They wholeheartedly believe in it and are so grateful for it. What they have a problem with is the many traditions that have been added to the celebration and their (potentially) pagan associations.

I’m sure the answer to “why do some Christians not celebrate Christmas?” is similar. I understand, completely. I’m not an expert at deciphering that kind of stuff so I can’t say one way or another where all these traditions originated from.

My biggest concern when it comes to Christians celebrating Easter is that its all too easy for us to get caught up in the hype of traditions and forget what it is we are actually celebrating. I see the same tension in Christians who celebrate Christmas.

As someone who loves Jesus and knows that these holidays are meant to praise Him and point people to Him – its important to me that the way I celebrate doesn’t resemble the traditions of the world but blatantly points the world to Jesus Christ. 

Would it be clear to someone on the outside looking in that this celebration is about Jesus? That’s why how to celebrate Easter as a Christian is a conversation worth having.

If you’ve tossed those questions around in your mind and you’re wondering how to celebrate Easter without all the questionable or religious Easter traditions, you’re going to love this final portion of the article where I share some ideas that answer the question, how should Christians celebrate Easter?

11 Ideas for How to celebrate Easter Sunday

I don’t believe there is a concrete answer for how a Christian should celebrate Easter OTHER THAN “whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

Use discernment. Aim for honor. Aim for testimony. Have fun!

Christian celebrations don’t have to be boring and stale. We can have fun and honor God at the same time. Here’s a shortlist of simple, fun, kid-friendly ideas for how to celebrate Easter as a Christian

1. Give a gift that points to the gospel.
2. Take communion with your friends, family, or church.
3. Gather with loved ones
4. Read the Easter story
5. Launch balloons or fly a kite!
6. Bake a resurrection cake!
7. Create crafts that tell the Easter Story
8. Send Easter Cards!
9. Play Music
10. Go To Church
11. Read an Easter devotional

Celebrate Easter Sunday With A Gift That Points to the Gospel

I mentioned earlier that on Easter Sunday mornings my mom would meet with each of us kids before we left for church and give us an Easter gift. What made this particularly special was that it was always a gift that reminded us of God’s love for us and what the Easter celebration is really about. Sometimes it would be jewelry; a cross necklace or bracelet or a heart necklace. Other years it was a journal or a devotional (I’m sharing a few of those at the bottom of this post).

Celebrate Easter by Taking Communion

This is the one tradition in the Bible (that I could find) that is tied directly to the resurrection of Jesus and our reunion with Him.

To me, that’s special.

If you want to keep it simple and significant this Easter – communion is a great means for that.

Gather With Loved Ones

Celebrations are always better when they include the ones you love! Whether that be family, friends, or neighbors – gather with people you love.

Reconnect with people you are just getting to know.

OR connect with someone new.

When Jesus met with his disciples again after His resurrection He commissioned them to “go and make disciples…” (see Matthew 28:19-20). At some point, we have to start nurturing new relationships in our lives. What better time to start than a time of celebration? Connecting with loved one is a my favorite part of how to celebrate Easter as a Christian.

Read Easter Stories

Why Easter stories? People learn best through stories and applications. I believe that’s why so many of Jesus’ teachings include parables and why Paul takes the time to tell His missionary stories and the history of Israel recorded for us in the Bible as a story. If you’re trying to teach your kids about Easter, storybooks are the way to go.

The Garden, the Curtain, the Cross
The Donkey Who Carried A King
Humphrey’s First Palm Sunday

All phenomenal Easter stories for kids. Find more of our Easter favorites here.

Launch Balloons or Fly A Kite

This tradition came from my childhood home church. I have loved it since we started it. There’s a verse in the Bible that reads,

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

At the end of our Easter Sunday church service, the ushers and deacons would pass out balloons. Each person attending the service got one. We’d gather outside and in our front parking lot. When everyone was ready our Pastor would count down to 1 (from 10). When we reached 1 we’d all release our balloons.

To me it was symbolic of being “caught up with Jesus,” a promise still to come for those who love Him. Get the most colorful Easter balloons you can find! The more colorful, the more fun it is to watch them fly.

Disclaimer: this did take some coordinating with local Air Traffic Controllers. If you don’t want to deal with all that you can replace the balloon with a kite.

Celebrate Easter By Baking A Empty Tomb Cake

In our home, treats are a part of celebrating.

On Christmas, we make Jesus a birthday cake. On Easter, we make Him an empty tomb cake! You’ll find lots of variations on this if you search Pinterest.

Empty Tomb Cake
Resurrection rolls (also known as Empty Tomb Rolls) – this article includes the recipe plus Scriptures to help you tell the Easter story as you bake!)
Matzah Bread! – When we learned how Passover was a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus we started incorporating Matzah bread (unleavened bread) in our Easter celebration. Though the celebrations are different, I think it’s important to recognize that Passover paved the way for the gospel story to take place. And both events describe the work of a loving God who uses miraculous measures and means to bring life and freedom to those who love Him.

Create Crafts That Tell the Easter Story

I got the idea of an Easter Garden from The Frugal Homemaker. I love that it’s a hands-on activity that comes with lots of opportunities to talk about why we celebrate Easter and what it truly represents. And when you’re done, you have a temporary memorial in your yard. That’s the coolest!

If you’re looking for something a bit more simple, but just as fun, take a look at these Easter craft ideas.

Send Easter Cards

Part of how to celebrate Easter as a Christian involves what we do we the gospel message. Jesus instructed us to share it. Sending an Easter card is a fun and simply way to send the gospel message miles. The cherry on top is that this is an activity that kids find especially fun. It gives them an opportunity to get creative and a chance to learn how to talk about God and His love for us.

Finish your Easter cards with a simple phrase like,

“ I love you but God loves you MOST.”
“Thankful for God’s special gift for you and me.”
“He died for our sins and rose from the tomb, I’m sending this card to celebrate with you!”

If card making isn’t your thing, you can send a special Easter message with ready to mail Easter Cards

Play Music

I don’t know how familiar you are with the Lord’s feasts, but one thing I’ve found while studying them is that music is a huge part of their celebration. Music, singing, dancing… Think about the big victories in the Bible. What was something that often accompanied them?

In Passover and the exodus from Egypt, we have the Song of Mariam (Exodus 15:20-21) and the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-19).

When the walls of Jericho fell they did so at the sound of music, shouts, and praise (Joshua chapter 6).

When Israel defeated Jabin’s army they celebrated with the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:1-31).

In Revelation, the angels in heaven again sing the Song of Moses (Revelation 15:3-4).

Why not celebrate this victory, the resurrection of Jesus, with music, song, and dance?

Go To Church

Easter is a celebration that believers of Jesus should recognize and celebrate together. Who understands the significance of Easter better than those whose lives have been radically changed by the one who resurrected that day?

Celebrate with people who are just as thankful and excited as you are about what God has accomplished for us.

Read An Easter Devotional

Have you gone through our free Easter Bible reading plan yet?! It’s the perfect place to start!

This is another Easter Bible Reading Plan that I absolutely love, it’s called Resurrection Power. It tells the story of Jesus and the Resurrection from the very beginning of the Bible (Genesis) to its very end (Revelation).

What I love about Easter Bible studies like these is that they give us time to pause and reflect. Sometimes it just doesn’t sink in as deeply as it should and it takes some intentional meditation for it to click. The God of the Universe, Creator of all things loved me so much that He sent His son to take the punishment for my sins.

We hear it so often, it’s easy for us to place in the back of our minds and keep it there. Reading an Easter devotional, Bible study, or the Easter story is a good way to help us remember.

Find tons of good Easter Bible studies and devotionals to choose from.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my rundown of why I believe Christians should celebrate Easter. I hope it was helpful. In my eyes, Easter is not a pagan holiday. I refuse to give even one day on God’s calendar to a devil. Each and every day “…is the day that the Lord has made…” (Psalm 118:24) for HIS purposes. We choose how we use them and my choice is to use each of them to glorify God, regardless of the people who “have it backward.”

If you enjoyed How to Celebrate Easter as A Christian, you may also appreciate: How Do Christians Celebrate Christmas

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