Easter has become one of my favorite holidays since I became a Mom. When I was a little girl I undoubtedly loved Easter – from basket surprises to giant chocolate eggs from my Grandpa to the wild egg hunt with my cousins. Then in my early twenties my Grandma passed away too close to Easter – and the feelings of magic and family faded.
When I had little girls of my own, I found myself loving the holiday once again. My childhood Easter traditions were be reborn and reused every year. Easter is about renewal and resurrection after all. I now look forward to the combination of spring’s arrival, dressing up in our Sunday best, devilled eggs and salty ham, and the absolute chaos of searching for candy filled eggs. Despite the photos I share, Easter is not always Pinterest-perfect — honestly, nothing ever is — but this life is ours and I love every messy minute of it.
So today I’m sharing a few of our family’s Easter traditions, plus some fun ideas you might want to steal and make your own this year.
Our Easter Morning: Church, Baskets, Brunch and Chaos
We always start Easter Sunday with Easter baskets and a quick egg hunt before attending church. The Bunny leaves candy filled plastic eggs all around the house and baskets in the living room. In my mind, the children tip toe while searching for hidden eggs and carefully admire the gifts the Easter Bunny has bestowed upon them. In reality, nothing ever happens carefully or quietly. The girls quickly tear through the house and their baskets as if someone is going to come along and take it all away.
I love getting the family dressed up to attend Easter Mass because no one ever gets fancy for a normal church service. It’s always one of those mornings where I’m simultaneously feeling genuinely grateful and also quietly reminding someone chocolates isn’t allowed in church or to stop poking her sister in the pew. You know how it is.
Easter Brunch usually falls after church (unless we attended a later service). I go all in on this one — it’s one of my favorite meals of the whole year to cook. We’re talking a full spread: the kind of meal that takes up most of our dining room table and requires at least two trips to the grocery store the week before. It’s worth every bit of effort. We have Cinnamon Bun-bunnies, two quiches, crispy bacon, and a fresh fruit salad.
The Annual Egg Hunt at My Parents’ House
If you want to talk about Easter chaos, let me tell you about the Easter egg hunt at my parents’ house. Technically, there are ten grandkids when my college aged nephews are present – but they like to help hide the eggs now instead of hunt.
Eight grandkids. Seven. Ranging in age from toddler to tween, with very different ideas about what “fair” looks like when there are plastic eggs involved.
Let’s just say we have witnessed reenactments of Hunger Games in years past. So we have learned the hard way that a free-for-all egg hunt with ages 2-12 is basically a contact sport. The older ones don’t stand a chance — the little kids are faster, more strategic, and apparently have no mercy when there are candy-filled eggs on the line. And yes… I said the little kids. They are savages.
The solution? Color-coded eggs.
Each child gets assigned their own egg color before the hunt starts, and they can only collect their color. No exceptions. It sounds simple, but honestly it was revolutionary. The older grandkids actually get to find eggs now instead of just watching their younger cousins sprint past them. The wrestling matches have been dramatically reduced. The parents are much calmer. We’re all happier.
If you have a big family gathering with a wide range of ages, I cannot recommend this enough. It is an absolute game changer.
Fun Easter Traditions to Try This Year
Our family traditions are something that grew over time — some inherited, some totally accidental, and some born out of pure necessity (see: color-coded egg system above). If you’re looking to add something new to your Easter this year, here are two ideas I love:
The Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt
Instead of just leaving baskets out in the open, hide them — and leave a trail of clues leading to each one. You can make the clues as simple or as elaborate as you want depending on the ages of your kids. Little ones might just need three clues; older kids can handle something more involved. It turns basket-finding into its own little event and honestly adds a ton of excitement to the morning. Bonus: it buys you a few extra minutes of quiet before the candy consumption begins.
Easter Brunch Cocktails (and Mocktails!)
If you’re already doing a big Easter brunch, why not make the drinks part of the experience too? A classic mimosa bar is always a hit! Set out a few juice options (orange, grapefruit, peach) alongside the bubbly so everyone can customize their drink. For the kids, or non-alcoholic option, sparkling water with a splash of juice and a Peep on the rim. It’s one of those small details that makes the whole morning feel more special.
What Are Your Easter Traditions?
I’d love to know — do you have any Easter traditions that are totally unique to your family? A recipe that’s been passed down, a silly game that somehow became a yearly must, or your own version of the color-coded egg system? Drop them in the comments below. 🐣
Looking for Easter brunch inspiration? Check out my updated Easter menu post for everything we’re making this year!
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