5 ways to celebrate Easter with your loved ones while staying home
In a time of uncertainty, one thing’s for sure – Easter in 2020 will be unlike any other.
Whether you celebrate the holiday religiously with your church or spend the time indulging in chocolate bunnies with your loved ones, this year, in a world struck by COVID-19, festivities will be entirely different.
For many, the Christian holiday will be bittersweet. As coronavirus cases approach 1.5 million worldwide, Easter traditions have been innovated to suit the new normal of living through a pandemic.
As we fight the desire to celebrate with family and instead stay home to do our bit in flattening the curve, here are some ways to gather at Easter during these unprecedented times.
Live stream Holy Mass
Churches have been forced to keep their doors closed and instead embrace technology to continue their religious services.
The Vatican has been live streaming proceedings during Holy Week and will stream Easter Sunday’s Holy Mass from the Altar of the Cathedra in the Basilica.
While tens of thousands of people ordinarily gather to watch Pope Francis’s Easter Mass, it is expected millions around the globe will tune in from home.
Stay home with Bocelli
Perhaps one of the holiday’s most memorable moments, Andrea Bocelli will be performing a collection of spiritual songs at Italy’s largest church.
The Easter concert, ‘Music For Hope’, will be live streamed to YouTube from the breathtaking Duomo Cathedral in Milan where Bocelli will be accompanied by just one other musician – organist Emanuele Vianelli.
"I believe in the strength of praying together; I believe in the Christian Easter, a universal symbol of rebirth that everyone – whether they are believers or not – truly needs right now," Bocelli shared online. "We will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart, this wonderful international forge that is reason for Italian pride."
Experience the electric energy of being connected to the millions tuning in from around the world.
Netflix with friends
We may not be able to have our friends over, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have movie nights.
Netflix Party has created a new way for you to watch your favourite movies or television series with loved ones.
The app synchronises video playback and allows group chat where you can send GIFs, screenshots and emojis, making for an eventful long-distance movie party.
Is there anything technology can’t do?
Spread joy with food
We may not be able to gather for a big Easter lunch, but we can still spread happiness with heart-warming meals.
If there’s a dish you traditionally eat at Easter or Passover, and if your family live locally to you, make a double portion to leave on their doorstep. You may not be together, but you can at least share the food tradition close to your family’s hearts.
Don’t forget the grandparents. Bring them some festive joy with handmade Easter baskets filled with goodies left at their front door.
But if you’re unable to deliver a comforting meal to those closest to you, why not embrace the challenge of a virtual cook-off. Decide on a recipe for everyone to try then video call or share photos of the results. You can even vote on which isolation team wins.
For those who love a celebratory drink (hello, quarantine cocktails), have some festive fun and drop some cocktail ingredients off to your friends or family. Then you can make it and share a drink together over a video call.
Virtual Easter-egg hunts
For the little ones, home schooling and quarantine has thrown their lives upside down. Pop a smile on their faces with an Easter egg hunt.
Scatter the eggs around your house and backyard and share their excitement by video calling the event to your family members.
To spread the thrill even further, pop an Easter egg in a window facing your street for a mega neighbourhood hunt.
After all, the Easter Bunny is an essential worker.
New decade, new traditions
For a lot of the world, 2020 has so far been a disaster. So it’s the perfect to time to spread some positivity with a sparkly new tradition.
How Easter is being spent this year is something no-one could have anticipated. Hit refresh and create a new ritual to embrace and celebrate every year going forward.
Whether it’s a magical dessert, a different routine or a fresh way of reflecting, let this year’s usual circumstances be the start of something new.
Feature image: Andrea Bocelli Facebook