Easter Sunday. An exciting spring day when the Bunny leaves gifts and goodies, we rejoice in the Resurrection and a holiday feast is enjoyed with friends and loved ones.
Like families everywhere, Easter observations happened at home this year thanks to the chaos and precautions brought on by the coronavirus. Disappointed about no trip to my parents’ place for dinner, my children and I made the most of it. We improvised our Easter Weekend traditions, and they worked. We reflected on them Sunday evening (April 12, 2020) and admitted that we enjoyed what we did.
On Holy Saturday, we usually go to the mall to get Easter Bunny photos, go out for dinner and attend Easter Vigil services. With the mall and restaurant closed and no physical church services, Saturday went differently. Our municipal police and fire departments escorted the Bunny through town for a “socially distanced” visit that enabled my son to wave to him. We ordered dinner from a local Italian restaurant. Before bedtime, I read the three required Easter Vigil readings and the gospel about the Resurrection from the Bible.
Come Sunday, the Easter Bunny brought goodies and gifts, but in new baskets. We watched Easter Sunday Mass on EWTN. We called my parents and wished them a Happy Easter, then prepared dinner. This was huge for me: I never once made a full holiday dinner, but there I was, killing it! Ha ha. We had ham, Italian sausage, rice casserole, green bean casserole, corn, Hawaiian sweet rolls and salad.
We didn’t forget Bunny pictures. Our dinner digested, we made an Easter-themed scene in the backyard with stuffed bunnies, the Easter baskets and a dozen plastic Easter eggs. I took individual and “together” photos. My son’s beloved stuffed bear even had a turn. đŸ™‚
I hope you all had a happy and blessed Easter while sheltering in place. It will forever remain for me where traditions took a sidestep and alternatives took center stage, bringing beautiful memories despite the pandemic that kept us from the familiar.
The mom of a dancing teen and a tween who enjoys scouting and hockey, Katie Campomizzi-Clews is a copy editor at The Republican-Herald. She began her career at The RH as a staff writer following graduation from Lycoming College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a minor in psychology. She shares her experiences of balancing work and parenting and takes a look at issues, events and trends concerning parents and children.
