Easter is just around the corner and I wanted to share what celebrating Easter looks like in our home. Easter is my favorite celebration, because I believe it is the climax of God’s redemptive story and the foundation for my belief as a follower of Jesus.

“The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single greatest event in the history of the world. It is so foundational to Christianity that no one who denies it can be a true Christian. Without resurrection there is no Christian faith, no salvation, and no hope. ‘If there is no resurrection of the dead,’ Paul explains, ‘not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). A person who believes in a Christ who was not raised believes in a powerless Christ, a dead Christ. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then no redemption was accomplished at the cross and ‘your faith is worthless,’ Paul goes on to say; ‘you are still in your sins’ (v. 17).”

—John MacArthur

Preparing our hearts

Last year, I started making changes in our home in how we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus at Easter. I wanted more of the truth and reality of Easter to sink in and settle in my heart. What came of that was a 21 day Easter Study to do with our kids. It’s a simple study that walks through the time leading up to Jesus’s death and resurrection. I think of it like an Easter Advent, the kids open an envelope every day, we read the scripture and talk about it. Interested? Read all about it here in this post.

If you are planning on doing this study in 2021 it starts Wednesday the 17th and goes 2 days after Easter!

Kid’s Books

This year we have also included some books to read with the kids. There are so many great resources available but these are a few that we have enjoyed!

• The Donkey who carried a King by R.C. Sproul
• This is the Gospel by Kids Read Truth
• The Easter Story Book by Laura Richie
• It’s All About Jesus Bible Storybook by Alyssa Jones/Gospel Project for Kids

Celebrating Easter in our decorations

Everyone knows when Christmas is approaching. The stores are filled with displays, the radio plays Christmas songs, streets and houses are lit up, and there is a feeling of excited anticipation. But what about Easter? I want to help build eagerness and excitement in our home that Easter is approaching. Not for the sake of excitement but because the object of our excitement is Christ and his accomplishment on the cross. That is truly worth our excitement and worship.

I have been trying to find decorations that would help us be mindful of the season and what we celebrate as believers of Jesus. To be honest, I have not found a lot of things that I love or I feel help me achieve what I envision. There is nothing wrong with pastel colors, eggs, bunnies and chicks but that is not exactly what I am after.

Wooden Easter Tomb

Last year I made a little wood tomb with figures for the kids to use and as a way to help tell the story. It’s a great visual for me and the kids. Think Easter version of a nativity scene.

The stone rolls back and forth and my kids absolutely love it! An easy build that I will hopefully some day write up a tutorial for how to build!

UPDATE: tutorial for how to build wooden tomb HERE

Easter “advent” display

With the kids’ Easter Study I mentioned above, we use small objects to represent a part of the story for that day. Then we display all the little objects so we can continue to talk about them and review what we have learned so far. This is now a part of our yearly “decorations” for Easter.

Also, I love to incorporate scripture that points to the gospel message. On a piece of fabric I used a sharpie to write one of my favorite verses. “God shows his great love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

DIY He is Risen Sign

I made this wood lath sign a couple years ago. So simple and easy. Great piece to put out at Easter. Want to make it yourself? Check out the tutorial here.

Celebrating Easter 2021

Our dining room buffet is set up this year with our wood tomb and the kids study display. Also incorporating this cute palm plant I picked up from Target.

I am not quite done decorating for this year, but I have a start. Hoping to incorporate some more greenery (may even try real plants!) Also, I have a beautiful watercolor of a lamb I bought that I am using on my mantle. Just haven’t had time to photograph it yet. Decorations are fun and can help us set a season apart, but they are not essential. Celebrating Easter is about remembering what Christ accomplished on the cross, letting that truth wash over you and stir your heart to worship our great Redeemer.

Emily