Easter is going to look different for many of us this year due to the stay-at-home order we are under this month. There are social distance-friendly Easter egg hunts in our communities, curbside pick-up for our Easter basket goodies, virtual religious gatherings, and enjoying your entire Easter meal from your favorite local restaurant by receiving a no-contact food delivery. My mother and my best friend’s mother were both excellent when it came to creating smiles on everyone’s faces with both traditional and wacky ways to celebrate a holiday. Please tag Macaroni Kid North Poconos/Hazleton in your photos on Facebook if you do any of the following to have a hoppy Easter.
Make sugar string eggs
My sister and I would make these every year because they are an easy craft and you most likely have all of the needed materials laying around your home. You can even turn them into Easter baskets by cutting a hole in one side and filling them with Easter crinkle paper or you can attach some string and hang them outside as decorations. Just beware- it’s best to spray them with clear spray paint or acrylic if you plan to hang them outside- especially if you live in a rural area where you may attract animals to the sweet sugar concoctions. Plus they last for years to come when they’re covered in the clear spray paint.
Materials needed:
Balloons
Scissors
Colored string or yarn
2 c white sugar
1 c hot water
A large bowl bowl
1 c measuring cup
Spoon
Pieces of ribbon
Instructions:
- Blow up your balloons.
- Boil 1 cup of water and mix it in a bowl with 2 cups of white sugar. Let it cool before using.
- Drop your string or yarn into the mixture until it is coated completely. You can roll it around in the sugar water to make sure it’s really saturated.
- While holding the tied off end of your balloon, start wrapping it with the sugar coated string multiple times over and over. Leave a 6” piece of string dangling from the top of the balloon.
- Hang it to dry- we usually let them dry in our bathtub so if they dripped it was much easier to clean up. You could hang them anywhere, just make sure you have old newspaper or something underneath for easy clean up. Let dry overnight- at least 24 hours. The string will become very hard.
- I always had my older sister do this next part- pop the balloon. Be sure to remove all of the pieces of latex from inside the egg.
- Spray with acrylic or clear spray paint. (This is best done outside to avoid the fumes)
- Optional: Depending on the size of your egg cut a 3-5” circular hole in the side of it to turn it into an Easter basket. Fill with Easter crinkle paper and candy.
Make an Easter hat
Time to break out those old craft supplies and Easter decorations to use in one of the funniest ways you could imagine!
What you will need:
Anything to make the CRAZIEST hat you’ve ever seen! (Think of the female dog in Go! Dog Go! with the outlandish hat for inspiration)
Instructions:
- Gather your materials. You can use Easter grass, small little chicks and bunnies, mini Easter eggs, paper plates, bows, crayons, artificial flowers, markers, and even old earrings.
- Glue the items onto an old hat or a paper plate. If using a paper plate, poke a hole in each side of the plate and string ribbon through the holes to tie underneath your chin.
- Proudly wear your hat all day.
Dress like an Easter egg
Time to search your closet for the most colorful and bizarre pieces of clothing you can find. The more colorful the better! The clothes don’t have to match. Just think pastels, bright colors, tie-dye, various shapes, and eye catching designs. Eat dinner as a family while wearing your Easter egg outfit and be sure to take LOTS of pictures!
Make your own chocolate treats
What you will need:
¼ c Coconut oil
2-3 Tbsp raw cacao or cocoa powder
2 Tbsp maple syrup
A whisk
A measuring cup with a spout
Mini muffin cup liners or candy molds.
Optional- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Melt ¼ c of coconut oil in a small saucepan on low heat on your stove.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Slowly add in the cacao and maple syrup while whisking vigorously. Optional: whisk the vanilla extract in to the mix.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into a measuring cup with a spout then pour it into the candy molds or small muffin liners.
- Put them into the freezer until hardened. You can also fill the cups half way, freeze, remove from the freezer and add sunflower seed butter, nut butter, fresh blueberries or raspberries, crushed nuts, whipped coconut cream, or anything you’d like in the middle of your chocolates. Pour the remaining chocolate to fill the cup and put them back into the freezer until hardened.
Have an egg hunt in your house (or your yard)
We had these every year at my house growing up and I have passed that tradition down to my son. It’s nice letting him search for the eggs at his own pace and deciding what prizes he can “win”. You can either put small prizes like M&Ms or coins and little trinkets in the eggs or you can put a slip of paper with a number on it. Once the hunt is over your child can trade in the paper for the prize of the same number. I like to offer things like bubbles, chapstick, coloring books, crayons, books by his favorite author, and small toys for prizes. You can also write clues and put them in each egg and make it more like a scavenger hunt where each clue leads your child to a different prize or another egg with a clue. It’s a fun way to pass the time.
Have an Easter Bunny drawing or coloring contest
What do YOU think the Easter Bunny looks like? Now is your time to share your imaginative ideas with your family by drawing him (or her). You could also print out THIS PICTURE and color it. Hang your art in your windows or in your kitchen to enjoy on Easter day.
Although it may not be like any holiday you have had in the past it can still be one of the best you’ve ever had. Right now life is all about adjusting to this new circumstance and making use of the things we do have. It’s the time to be grateful for our families, no matter how big or small, and to keep a positive attitude as much as possible. Have a very Happy Easter!
