If you're looking to begin new Easter traditions with the family this year, start by adding a fun twist to typical egg hunts, like incorporating puzzles or turning it into a glow-in-the-dark search. You can also build a resurrection garden as a "living" tradition.
As for gifts, make Easter celebrations more festive by mixing activity-based gifts with traditional candy baskets. If the recipient is an adult, personalize the basket with sugar-free and gourmet treats.
The key is to familiarize yourself with the trends and customs of Easter so that you can plan early.
Early planning lets you set an Easter spending budget, which, for the average shopper, will reach a projected record high of over $195 for 2026, says the National Retail Federation. The better and the earlier you plan, the more likely you are to catch sales and avoid overspending and last-minute "panic" buying.
What Are the Rules of Easter Sunday?
Knowing the "rules" associated with Easter Sunday is crucial to planning your celebrations, as it's a "movable feast." Unlike Christmas, which has a fixed date (December 25), Easter Sunday doesn't.
As explained by Catholic.com, Easter is the first Sunday following the Gregorian calendar's Paschal full moon, so it can occur on a different date every year, which can be between March 22 and April 25.
If you know when Easter is each year, you can have more time for pre-Easter preparations. You can, for instance, better coordinate family gatherings or travel. You can also schedule your Easter food treats and gift-shopping activities, aligning them with deals like sales and discounts.
Such knowledge can also help you develop smarter plans for your activity-based Easter traditions. An example is deciding whether to have an outdoor or an indoor egg hunt, depending on the weather. Another is securing ingredients for a traditional Easter Sunday dinner (e.g., lamb for a roast).
What Are Christians Supposed to Do During Easter?
Christians go into a celebratory mood during Easter, following the long and solemn 40-day period called "Lent." The Lenten season represents the 40 days Jesus spent praying and fasting in the wilderness, making it a time for penitence, reflection, and fasting.
Easter Sunday, on the other hand, is a happy day. It marks the resurrection of Jesus on the third day following his crucifixion.
It's for this reason that many Christians attend church services during Easter Sunday (often held at sunrise), host family gatherings, and celebrate with traditions like hunting for Easter eggs, which symbolize new life.
What Are Some Fun Easter Traditions and Gifts You Should Try or Give Away This Year?
Starting a new Easter tradition with your loved ones can help create lasting memories, particularly for the kids, as "new" things make the holiday more engaging. The introduction of fresh customs also instills excitement, making kids and adults alike look forward to future years' celebrations.
Depending on who you're celebrating with, new traditions also make for great ways to personalize the holiday based on factors like changing ages and interests.
Adding a Fun Twist to Egg Hunts
Whether this is your first time hosting an egg hunt or it's always been a part of your Easter celebration, consider making it more exciting for kids and adults by adding a brain-engaging twist to it with puzzles. You can turn it into a "progressive" search, with each egg containing a clue to the next location.
You can also make this activity more thrilling by planning a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt.
Building a Living "Resurrection" Garden
Starting a resurrection garden for Easter is an excellent living tradition, as it allows the kids to have a more meaningful, hands-on experience that also creates a visual reminder of Jesus's story.
It can help your little ones visualize Jesus's empty tomb and new life as they see the plants grow. It can promote interaction with nature, too, which, if done regularly, can help kids build confidence and manage anxiety, as an article from the Hamilton East Public Library explains.
Personalizing Easter Goodie Baskets
By personalizing each Easter goodie basket you give away, you can turn an otherwise "generic" gift into a cherished, memorable keepsake that can strengthen your relationships and demonstrate your thoughtfulness.
An excellent example is to fill children's baskets with activity-based gifts aside from candies. Some ideas include adding a paint-your-own-egg kit, a small box of jigsaw puzzles, a bubble kit, or some sidewalk chalk.
If you're giving a basket to adult loved ones, you can personalize it not just based on their preference but also their health.
Adults with diabetes or who want to lower their sugar intake, for instance, will most likely be happy to get sugar-free treats, such as those you can find at Candy Nation. High-quality dark chocolate and gourmet popcorn are other great options.
Frequently Asked
How Do You Make Glow-In-The-Dark Eggs for an Exciting Egg Hunt?
You need some light-colored or translucent plastic eggs for your glow-in-the-dark hunt.
Inside each egg, place an LED balloon light, a mini glow stick, or an activated glow bracelet. If the weather permits, hide the eggs in the yard. If the weather's not that glorious, hide them inside the house.
Regardless of whether it's indoors or outdoors, the little ones will surely enjoy the unique experience of a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt.
What Is the Most Common Easter Sunday Dinner?
In the U.S., the traditional Easter Sunday dinner is maple or honey-glazed ham. It's become the centerpiece for most U.S. households, thanks to its availability and affordability.
In countries like Greece, Ireland, and the U.K., the traditional main course is roast lamb. It symbolizes Jesus being the "Lamb of God."
In the Philippines, Asia's largest Christian country, the traditional main dish that marks the celebratory day of Easter is roast pig (called "lechon").
Celebrate New Easter Traditions Starting This Year
From giving typical egg hunts a twist to building a resurrection garden and personalizing gift baskets, these are some of the new Easter traditions and gifts you should consider trying this year. They can add more meaning and memory to each Easter Sunday you celebrate with the kids and loved ones.
If you're looking for more guides and tips for hosting celebrations or just want to stay in the loop of the latest local, state, and national events, check out our site's current news coverage.
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