Easter’s Not Cancelled!

A creative guide for how to spend your Easter holiday under quarantine!

As we all know, Easter is going to feel very different this year. Some of your favorite traditions are probably canceled, I know mine are. I will really miss going to the Easter Morning service at my church. The sanctuary is beautifully decorated with flowers, so many people come dressed up in their nicest dresses or ties, and we sing hymns with the organ and full orchestra. It’s one of the few times a year our church get so much attendance, and the music programs go all out to prepare. Other families have different traditions; some people love to have an egg hunt, go out for brunch, or visit family and friends, but they can’t do this because of the coronavirus. Although it won’t be the exact same, there are still many great ways to celebrate the holiday this Sunday! We just have to be a little more creative, luckily I did the work for you! 🙂

Get dressed up!

Sure, no one but your family and cat will see you, but why not? It will make you feel more put together and as similar to normal as possible. Take a long, warm shower or bubble bath. Do that 9 step skincare routine you never have time or motivation for. Deep wash your hair and finally get out of those sweats you’ve been living in for the past 3 weeks! Put on some makeup or do your hair, whatever makes you feel good. You will feel so great to be confident in how you look again- I’m talking to all of you who turn the camera off on Zoom because you’ve got bedhead and are still in your PJ’s at 2pm! So, put on that pretty sundress or a nice shirt and pants to watch your online church service, or to eat breakfast with your family. Maybe even take some photos? I know my instagram has been lacking lately!

Bake some yummy desserts!

Baking is so much fun, whether you’re by yourself or with your family! There’s something calming about simply following the recipe; adding in the measurements of ingredients, mixing them up while dancing around your kitchen (although, I’ll admit, my mom gave me a few weird looks when I did this), and putting it in the oven in anticipation. Not, to mention that first bite of your warm, delicious treat! I like to put my earbuds in and listen to music while baking to feel like I’m in a Hallmark movie, you know the one I’m talking about with the small town girl who bakes- oh wait that’s all of them!

This week I decided to bake some chocolate chip banana bread, and it turned out amazing! This is one of the first times I’ve made a truly homemade dessert that didn’t involve a box mix (you know, just adding eggs and oil to a premade powder), and I loved that there was more work involved, and I got to spend more time baking.

I also learned how to ripen a banana! Apparently, there’s no such thing as a “too-ripened” banana when you are making banana bread! I had to put them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the skin was completely black. This was useful baking information that I wish I’d known back in 7th grade when my friend and I threw out her mom’s black banana, thinking it had just been forgotten about in the fridge for an eternity! Sorry about that!!! Maybe I can make it up to you with some banana bread?

The hardest part of this whole process was definitely having to wait the 20-30 minutes until the bread had completely cooled, because it looked SO good. I wanted to stuff it in my face instantly! Boy, was it worth though! My parents agreed! I give it 5 stars and definitely recommend this recipe to all of you if you are looking to make something different than the usual chocolate chip cookies or brownies.

Here is the recipe for the best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread you’ll ever have: http://foodtasia.com/chocolate-chip-banana-bread/

Enjoy Nature!

Go out and get some fresh air, and you’ll feel so much better! Take a walk through your neighborhood if you can. Sit in your backyard and read or listen to music. Take a nice drive through the prettiest trees and flowers in your city, and just appreciate the nature around you. The flowers are in bloom, and the grass and trees are finally turning green. Even if it’s raining, especially if its raining: nothing beats the smell and sound of the rain!

Connect to your friends or family!

Reach out by calling them on the phone or facetime! Or, better yet, write a letter, old school style! The past 2 weeks I have sent out a few letters to my friends. It is honestly so fun to write letters and then decorate them with markers, stationary and stickers. I have to admit I have a bit of an obsession, and drawers of supplies from Hobby Lobby to prove it!

I also included a few other items: candy, hot cocoa powder, some stickers (as we just established, I have plenty to share), and a “this or that” question card. To make these, simply cut out two small pieces of paper, draw a line down the middle and write 8-12 sets of options for you and your friend to choose from. Milkshakes or smoothies? Summer or winter? Instagram or Tik Tok? For more fun, include more specific questions about the things you both bond over, like movies, bands, books, or inside jokes. Label one card “you” and the other “me”. Circle your choices on the “me” card and send them both in the mail. When your friend responds they can send you back their answer card, and start a new game if they want.

I had so much fun making the letters, and even better was receiving their sweet reactions. Some of friends have already mailed me a response, and being on the receiving end is just as fun! It’s so exciting to receive a letter in the mail, rather than the usual bills, ads, and college pamphlets! My friends were so thoughtful; one sent me a handmade bookmark with 5 awesome recommendations, and another made up some of her own games like a “Have You Ever: One Direction addition”- a checklist of crazy fangirl stuff we did when we were in that phase. I find that my friends and I are able to learn more things about each other and talk on a deeper level than we do over text or snapchat, because we can write as much as we want. Something about the letter makes it seem more heartfelt and personal. So, call up a loved one or sit down and write them a letter to put a smile on their face, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy! They will be so happy to hear from you and know that you are thinking of them.

Watch some Easter or springtime movies!

In the mood to cozy up and watch something more festive or cheerful than the reality TV or true crime documentaries you’ve been binging? Here’s some movies perfect for Easter:

The Sound of Music (flower’s, fields, sunshine!)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Candy!)
Alice in Wonderland (Bunnies, flowers, caterpillars, childhood)
It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (no explanation necessary.)
Steel Magnolias (The story takes place at Easter, and it is a timeless movie about friendship)

Or, for you TV lovers, here are some episodes of your favorite shows that are Easter related:

Gilmore Girls- Season 4, Episode 18 “Tik, Tik, Tik, Boom!”
Superstore- Season 4, Episode 16 “Easter”
Parks and Recreation- Season 1, Episode 2 “Canvassing”
Bob’s Burgers – Season 7, Episode 16 “Eggs For Days”

Oh, and there’s a new Tiger King episode releasing Easter Sunday, which will probably have no bunnies or pretty flowers, but since most of us binged the whole show in a day or so, it’s inevitable that we’ll want to watch this as soon as possible.

Happy Easter to you all! I hope these ideas help you find something fun to do, and you’re able to enjoy the holiday in some way. Remember to stay faithful; this time will pass. Take this time to relax, reflect, and do hobbies you enjoy, soon we will be back out into the world with a new perspective. I can’t wait for how good it will feel to see my friends and family again, to sit in a movie theater, or to go shopping for something other than groceries and toilet paper again!