Last Easter, we were just starting to feel the effect of COVID-19 in the United States and we still felt a lot of uncertainty regarding the virus. This year, we have a much better understanding of COVID-19 and we have much more hope thanks to the vaccines being administered worldwide. Even with the progress that we’ve made in the last year, it’s still important to maintain precautions when celebrating Easter, Passover, or Ramadan, with your family and loved ones. So, let’s talk about some COVID-friendly ways to celebrate this year.
Gather with Others Who Are Vaccinated
If you are going to have an in-person gathering, make sure that everyone has been fully vaccinated, or received 2 doses of their Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are over 95% effective at preventing COVID-19, making it much safer to gather in person. The CDC reports that fully vaccinated individuals can gather indoors without a mask! This is exciting news for families who are used to celebrating holidays together.
There’s no need to get tested for COVID if you’ve been fully vaccinated. Even though you may all have been vaccinated, you should still practice safety measures, like washing your hands regularly, avoid a buffet-style serving line (which can cause germs to spread easier), and maintain some between guests. Additionally, the CDC recommends limiting gatherings to small groups — whether vaccinated or not. You may also want to consider eating outdoors as an additional precaution.
Host a Virtual Gathering
A virtual gathering for Easter may be another option for your family and friends — especially if there are individuals who haven’t been fully vaccinated. You can host a meeting on Zoom, Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, or other video apps to enjoy the time together. Plan an agenda of the festivities to keep you all on track or go with the flow and enjoy the virtual company.
Decorate Your Home
Share the Easter spirit by decorating your home for the holiday. Decorate inside and outside with spring pastels, easter eggs, bunnies, Easter scriptures, and more. This can help you feel more festive while also spreading cheer to others in a safe way. Plus, creating decorations is a great activity to get the family involved and spend quality time together.
Prepare an Outdoor Easter Egg Hunt
You can’t have Easter without an Easter egg hunt! Plan an outdoor Easter egg hunt with the kids. You could invite other families so that they can enjoy the fun with you. Kids have a much lower chance of getting COVID-19, and an outdoor hunt and help them maintain social distancing while still enjoying the company of their friends. You could still ask that participants wear masks while doing their scavenger hunt and that the parents and other family members who attend wear masks and socially distance as well.
We love the idea of decorating plastic eggs to hide in the yard. These could be reused year after year. Plus, they won’t rot in the yard if they aren’t found, and they tend to be cheaper than decorating fresh eggs. Add paint, stickers, decoupage, or other decorations to make the eggs pop!
Participate in a Church Service
Easter Sunday is often a very special Sunday in many Christian denominations. Many churches and religious organizations will broadcast their services online, so you can safely participate from home. Depending on where you live, churches may also host in-person service. If you’re participating in person, remember to practice the guidelines from the CDC when it comes to wearing a mask, social distancing, etc. Many churches also have additional precautions in place, like blocking off seating areas to help enforce social distancing, hand sanitizer stations, mask mandates, etc. Another thing to look into are outdoor services. As the weather warms up, churches may offer an outdoor service to allow individuals to gather safely.
Deliver Goods to Neighbors
Another way to celebrate Easter is to bake goods, send cards, or make other crafts that you can deliver to friends, family, and neighbors. You can drop these gifts off on a front porch to limit exposure to others while still spreading a smile and making someone else feel special. You could even arrange to drop off Easter dinner plates. This type of service can be especially meaningful to seniors, who may struggle around the holidays due to COVID restrictions or lack of family nearby.
Plant Flowers
Because the weather is warming up, Easter is a perfect time to get your yard ready for Spring. Plus, spring symbolizes renewal, and many plants are associated with Easter. So, planting could turn into a great object lesson with your family. Pick up some plants at a local nursery and spend some time outdoors with your family as you plant. As an added bonus, your yard will look amazing!
Have Fun with Easter Props
You may usually take your kids to the mall to get a photo with the Easter bunny. While this might not be an option this year, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get photos with the Easter bunny! Order a costume on Amazon or even just a set of bunny ears or other Easter-themed props. You and your family can dress up and take silly photos to commemorate your Easter.
We hope that you enjoy these Easter ideas to help make Easter 2021 memorable for your whole family. If you or a loved one needs assistance with these activities this year, please call Caring Senior Service, Our team of experts is here to help. We offer personalized home care services to empower seniors to remain independent and continue living their life to the fullest at home. We would be honored to help your family during this Easter season.
