5 Ways We Can (and Should!) Keep Celebrating Easter after the Actual Day

1. Christmas has a whole season--why not Easter?

In “Why Does Christmas Get a Season but Easter only a Day,” Trevin Wax presents a sound argument for why Easter should be celebrated for longer than just one celebratory church service, and I have to say I agree.

Both Christmas and Easter are celebrations of massive significance for Christians, but we’ve made one last so much longer than the other. It seems like we’re cheating Easter by not giving it a whole season of our attention. Christmas is a season filled with so much joy and celebration and reflection on Christ for so many Christians--why not make Easter the same kind of season?

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2. After all, Easter is THE pivotal day for Christians.

Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection are the bedrock of our faith (1 Corinthians 15).

"I’m simply saying that Easter morning is the turning point of world history and the defining moment for Christianity,” Wax explains. “This is the day when God’s new world began. It’s the day when our own resurrection from the dead was secured. It’s the first time in history when someone went through death and came out the other side – victorious, in glory, mysteriously new and yet the same. Since this is true, why do we only celebrate for a day and not a season?”

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3. Create Easter traditions with your family.

Many families establish traditions for the Christmas season, and the same can be done around Easter. Gather together to read Scripture and pray through each day of Holy Week (we have a great prayer guide here!) or bake special treats with your kids like these empty tomb rolls. Even other spring activities like planting a vegetable garden or flowers can become a tradition you connect with the significance of the new life we have because Jesus rose. 

What are your favorite Easter family traditions, or which ones do you want to start this year?

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4. Listen to Easter-focused worship music.

Wax asks, “Since we’re used to hearing Christmas music for weeks around Christmas, why can’t we create playlists and sing Easter music this time of year?” Gather up songs in your music library that mention Jesus’ death, His resurrection, the grave, the cross, the empty tomb, new life, victory, or anything else that reminds you of this holy weekend, and create your own Easter playlist! Having these songs playing will keep you focused on the glory of Easter for more than just one Sunday.

One of my favorites has always been "Christ the Lord is Risen Today." You can listen to a version of it below.

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5. Tell the Easter story often.

Many Easter services include the call and response greeting of “Christ is risen, He is risen indeed.” Even just repeating that phrase or keeping it written on a post-it note on your mirror will be a reminder that Jesus died and rose again for you. Read through the Gospels in the weeks both leading up to and following Easter and really study what Jesus did and said. The more you familiarize yourself with the words of the Bible, the more you’ll discover about who Jesus is and what it means for your own life.

“We are the only people in the world who visit the grave of the founder of our faith to see what isn’t there," Wax says. “That’s a big deal, and it’s time we made it that way.”

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Based on the article "Easter Deserves More Than Just One Day--3 Ways to Keep Celebrating."

Publication date: March 20, 2018