Easter is the holiday that celebrates and commemorates the central event of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death. This event of Christ’s dying and resurrection is known as the Paschal Mystery. Easter is a movable feast and the entire liturgical calendar centres on it. Preceding Easter is a period of 40 days of fasting, prayer and alms-giving called Lent and the 50 days after Easter is the Easter Season.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Easter is a spring feast and centres on fertility and new life – hence the symbols of eggs, chicks and rabbits which abound in the shops at this time. It may be helpful for your children to know the reason for the holiday and it can be a time to reflect together on gratitude for those people who have done acts of kindness for us and our community; the value of life and the joy we can experience as we try to live together in forgiveness, peace, harmony and love.
Some helpful websites
- http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Holidays/Easter/ – information and many resources
- http://www.kidspot.com.au/things-to-do/easter – craft activities
- https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Books-Childrens-Easter/zgbs/books/3076 – suggested books to read with your children about Easter.
- http://www.kidsgen.com/events/easter/easter_symbols.htm – symbols of Easter
- http://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/easter-symbols – symbols with some craft suggestions
At Angel’s Paradise, Easter is explained through books and some activities done around it.