How We Had A Joyful Easter With Ease And Grace

This year, Easter took on a special meaning for the Conartys.

Easter is a holiday about birth and rebirth. As my family prepares to give life to the pre-packed hospital bag, something that will help mamas with their own child’s birth, this holiday was especially meaningful for us.

We are SO close to the Lily and Llama launch date (due date?). And as the date approaches, there is still so much to do. Mamas, does this sound familiar?

With all of the energy given to Lily and Llama, Easter was the perfect time for Landon and me to pause. To be in the present moment. To give ourselves some grace, and to keep focused on what truly matters. And for Easter this year, what truly matters to the Conarty family is making it joyful for our boys.

What to do for Easter with two boys three and under?

Matching outfits, obviously. You’re welcome, Aiden and Austin.

Easter is the first holiday that Aiden, our three-year-old, has been really excited about. He literally won’t stop talking about hunting for eggs. So this year, the Easter egg hunt was the focus of our holiday celebration.

While we wanted to keep the Easter egg hunt joyful for the boys, we also wanted to keep it simple for us, the parents. So, we did not dye eggs this year. There is a lot on our plate, and mamas, I know you can relate. Instead, I purchased plastic eggs and filled them with candy and toys. This way, it was all about the thrill and joy of the hunt.

The joy of the hunt.

Since Easter was all about the hunt this year and seeing the joy in our boys, I got to thinking. Like most holidays, Easter is chock full of symbolism. The eggs, the bunnies, the baskets (ahem…fertility). All of these traditional elements are rich in religious and cultural history. But the Easter egg hunt…where did that come from? Why do we hunt for eggs in the first place?
It turns out the tradition of the Easter egg hunt comes back to women and children experiencing joy. Yup! In Germany in the 16oos, Martin Luther and other men hid eggs at Easter. At that time, women joined in with children for the hunt. The joy of finding an egg was said to be symbolic of the joy felt by the women who first went to Christ’s tomb and found it empty.

A celebration of childhood.

What I also found SUPER interesting, is that it wasn’t until the 17th-century that society looked at childhood as a joyous time for children. ??? Before then, it was more of a “children are seen and not heard” kinda thing. Kids were basically put to work in the fields. This change in how children were viewed (thank goodness) actually has a lot to do with a shift in the way people celebrated holidays, Easter in particular. I’m looking at you, Easter bunny.

Easter made easy (and fun).

For Easter this year, it was so important to Landon and me to make it joyful for the boys. They are only kids for so long, right? I do also really believe in balance. Making it fun for the kids, doesn’t mean it has to be stressful for the parents. And this year, balance looked like finding ways for us to be more present; balance looked like being more attuned to my boys, making memories, and starting traditions with them. Maybe next year, the boys will be old enough and we can dye eggs together. We’ll see! This year, the way we did it was just right.

Mamas, what was the most joyful thing about your Easter?

Whether your chicks are born or if you are still waiting on your egg to hatch, mamas, let us know what brought you and your family the most joy this Easter!