Do you celebrate Easter?

I'm with Churchview and Norah. It's the most important festival for Christians and I love it, celebrating with flowers, decorating the house, making special meals and buying chocolate eggs - except for the youngest GC as mummy and daddy have charged me with making something for her with less sugar.
I was very moved one year watching the Easter story enacted in Trafalgar Square.

Being Catholic, Easter has always been a huge celebration for us.

When I was a child, I always had a new outfit for Easter Sunday, usually finished of with a hat.

As always, I will be duty sacristan at the Easter Vigil, a beautiful Mass, with the church initially in candlelight, the candles being lit from the Easter fire and lots of incense.. It is a beautiful service.
Traditionally, we have roast turkey for dinner and anyone, who wants to come is welcome

Yes, I do.

Church, sometimes family come for dinner, if not, just DH and me.

Usually make a Simnel cake.

Far preferable to over hyped Christmas, the start of spring.

When I was still working, it meant four whole days off work together, unlike Christmas.

I worked in a bank, and traditionally, Easter Tuesday when back at work was the busiest day of the year.

Yes I love Easter. Family gather on Good Friday for an Easter Egg Hunt at ours or others houses. Dh and sons hide the eggs around the garden until it’s declared that the Easter Bunny has ‘been’. Hot cross buns are eaten and games played. Church service on Easter Sunday for those who want to go.

One year, before the hunt had started , one of the GC saw a tiny mouse rolling one of the smaller eggs with his nose , then taking off the foil wrapper and nibbling the chocolate.

Last year I saw my neighbour with his little boy and I asked if the Easter bunny had been and he said ‘No’. The dad looked a little shame-faced 😢. How sad!

Yes, I do.

Yes I do, and not just as a chocolate egg fest.

I love Easter and we do celebrate though not in a religious way. I buy lots of yellow flowers and put up Easter themed decorations. We have the grandchildren over and they Easter Egg hunt in the garden. I cook an Easter dinner and everyone loves it.
Last year my autistic grandson had found all the Easter eggs in the garden before the other Grandchildren came but as he doesn’t like any sweet stuff he gave them all to them anyway.

I think when your grandchildren are a bit older, they will want Easter eggs.
Easter used to be a time for new bonnets, Spring flowers and hope for warmer weather.
Even if you don't celebrate Easter as a religious festival, it is still a time to welcome Spring. It is a milestone in the year.

As a failed Christian, I find it an uncomfortable time of year. Never quite know what to do with myself.

An aside, I tried my hardest to bring up my children to eat well and swerve the sugar. One has managed to eat healthily, the other is more or less an addict! My own eating habits leave an awful lot to be desired.

I have to confess not so much now but when the children were growing up we did.
They were at Catholic schools so they would have CAFOD hunger lunches, I would give up something for Lent.
Our middle child still does, he will also go to Farm St mass on Easter Sunday.

We had a Muslim friend over for dinner last night, he had had a coffee at 4.00am and nothing, not even water until we sat down for an early dinner er at 6.00pm.

He was telling me how in his home country children are encouraged to fast from the age of around 10, they see it as part of growing up and are excited to take part in Ramadan!

What discipline, it’s humbling.

No I don’t really celebrate Easter I used to when the kids were small and then when the grandkids were little but all are totally grown now and spread around the world so I’ll probably just go and dig the allotment if it’s fine enough

Sago

I have to confess not so much now but when the children were growing up we did.
They were at Catholic schools so they would have CAFOD hunger lunches, I would give up something for Lent.
Our middle child still does, he will also go to Farm St mass on Easter Sunday.

We had a Muslim friend over for dinner last night, he had had a coffee at 4.00am and nothing, not even water until we sat down for an early dinner er at 6.00pm.

He was telling me how in his home country children are encouraged to fast from the age of around 10, they see it as part of growing up and are excited to take part in Ramadan!

What discipline, it’s humbling.

I remember when I was a child/teenager the church we went to did simple community lunches at Easter, that was C of E.

Yes, but not in a Christian way. More in the old Celtic way which Christianity tagged on- a lovely time to celebrate the return of Spring.

Well, the date might have been filched from the Celtic calendar but this is the most important time of year in the Christian calendar.

Eggs and bunnies are, of course, of pagan origin.
As is the name Easter.

Not any more. All the grandchildren are grown up now and
I don't have any great-grandchildren yet.
So I might buy myself an Easter egg.

Only as a welcoming Springtime event.

We do. I dress shelves with "Easter" related objects, daffodils around the house etc
I put a Easter related wreath on the front door and on the day, Easter egg hunt in the garden or house.
Children are only young once, let them have memories. My children have, and they are keen to carry on fun.

I have to say that my GCs don’t miss out on fun because we don’t ‘do’ Easter or they don’t eat chocolate eggs yet. When they are older I dare say they will want a chocolate egg because all their friends have them.
We don’t promote non Easter misery. We will enjoy bank holiday weekend together as we enjoy most bank holidays together and enjoy the hopefully better weather.

Allira

Well, the date might have been filched from the Celtic calendar but this is the most important time of year in the Christian calendar.

For many, yes, The question in the OP was direct and personal.

For me it has a different meaning. That's all.

Definitely the busiest, most important time of year if you're involved with the church. DH is a chorister and many services, recitals and concerts are in the diary.
We will be in France end March/early April, so I'm hoping to bring back some Easter goodies the most beautiful chocolate creations to celebrate Easter weekend with family.

The dates not important to me, it’s joining in with Christians to
celebrate, such a warm, joyful time

Easter has been celebrated for thousands of years, way before the Christian religion commandeered it.

I love the pagan celebrations. This one celebrates spring.

Growing up I had the complete gamut of church attedance from the run up to Easter, Ash Wednesday through to Good Friday, the sad and sombre Stations of the Cross Service and Easter Sunday Mass with the promise of the Easter Eggs when we got home. I still feel inremittingly sad on Good Friday, that's something that has stayed with me, sometimes I go to church, not always. Usually some of the family are with us for a roast dinner on the Easter Sunday. Generally we buy the grandchildren eggs, if not, we give them money in lieu.

Anniebach

The dates not important to me, it’s joining in with Christians to
celebrate, such a warm, joyful time

Yes!