In this season of Lent, Good News Wants to Know… What is a unique Easter activity you’ve experienced or a tradition your family has had?
We watch “Passion of the Christ” or “Son of Man” every year!
Andrew Holmes, President, 4KIDS
Growing up Greek Orthodox, Easter or Holy Week was a very special time. We attended church every night, and on Friday night we participated in a procession outside the church around the block where the men carried the Epitaphios, a flower decorated bier representing Christ’s tomb. This tradition expressed a solemn reminder of the sacrifice Christ made at Calvary for our sins.
William “Bill” C. Davell, Director, Tripp Scott
My parents started an Easter egg toss in 1980-something. Don’t think they’ve missed a year. My brother usually wins. He’s also been accused of smuggling hard boiled eggs into the competition. Very Tomy Brady of him.
Bob Denison, President, Denison Yachting
My unique Easter memory arose out of attending a Resurrection Sunday service in Katmandu, Nepal. My parents and I were tourists there, and we were trying to find the location of the meeting, which we had learned about from a fellow who spoke very broken English. We were unsure if we were even going in the right direction, when suddenly we heard a group of people singing “Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain. Now he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose.” It has since been my favorite Easter hymn!
H. Collins Forman, Jr., P.A.
A fun thing I love to do with the “littles” I get to share Resurrection Day with is to plan a treasure hunt with rhyming clues sequentially hidden around the house and yard. The final clue leads them to hidden, decorated baskets loaded with treats and toys related to the reason for the season instead of eggs, bunnies and chickens.
Deborah Cusick, FAU Campus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
Aside from all the Holy Week services, my family spent the week re-reading the relative scriptures, and we have children’s books that explain the Christian meaning of Easter that we read to any kids around, and we often watch movies that reflect the resurrection story. But, one unique thing is using the Family Life Today Resurrection Eggs, plastic eggs with different trinkets in each one that you use to explain what happened and why from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Day.
Dolores King–St. George, President, King Communications and GraceNet Media
Every Easter at boarding school at 5a.m. we would turn on our flashlights and climb a little mountain to see the sunrise. Today it is wonderful to go to the Calvary Chapel football field, listen to the message and watch the sunrise.
Don Campion, President, Banyan Air Service, and Team Lead, Egbe Medical Mission
The closest I have ever been to God (other than the day I turned my life over to him) was one Lenten season that I worshiped alone every morning in a small chapel at sunrise. I opened the door, and God was there for me in a way I have never experienced before or since!
Dr. Fred Scarbrough, Founder, Scarbrough Animal Hospital and HOPE South Florida
Our family loves our church’s tradition of baptizing on Easter Sunday. The beautiful collision of the Son/Sun rising as our peeps rise out of the water is breathtaking.
Heather Palacios, Founder, Wondherful, Inc
Easter is still and will always be a very special Holy Day for us spending time with family and friends. This year we are excited to be sharing Resurrection Day with our family from Sweden! And, yes, I still make an Easter basket for our adult daughter! It’s a mom thing.
Helen Wayner P.A., Century 21 Hansen Realty
Always going to church on Easter morning and then enjoying a lovely afternoon together. We always make a cake that looks like an Easter Bunny. The fun and tradition is in decorating and which sections have what candy!
Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, President/CEO, Community Foundation of Broward
Watching the sunrise on Easter morning is one of my favorite things to do. It reminds me of how His mercies are new every morning because of the resurrection.
Jesse Carroccio, Station Manager, WRMB Moody Radio
A unique Easter activity we have traditionally done is to attend sunrise services and then join in a meal as a family, which might seem like a simple regular activity; however, when everyone is at different stages of life and in various areas of the world, it is a blessing to have a meal together in honor of our risen Christ.
Dr. Jessica Vera, President & CEO, Elite Foundation
There’s only a handful of Easters that I can really remember, but one of the more unusual ones was sitting in service doubting the resurrection of Jesus and my faith. Eventually after seeking answers to the veracity of the Bible and the resurrection, I chose faith instead of doubts, focusing on what I did know rather than what I didn’t. Now I’m assured and more convinced than ever of the veracity of the Bible and the divinity, lordship, and resurrection of Jesus.
Justus Martin, Photographer, Justus Martin Photo
I take a long walk on the beach on Good Friday, pondering the incredible sacrifice my Savior made for me. The beach is an amazing place for me to let my tears flow freely, as I anticipate the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday.
Laura C. Bishop, Executive Vice President of Development, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Resurrection Sunday has always been a time when my family has attended service together followed by a midafternoon homemade dinner at my parents’ home.
Larry Lacy, Pastor, The Answer Church
We don’t have any particularly unique Easter traditions, but we always enjoy the classic egg hunts and spending time together as a family. After church we have a family brunch, which is always a highlight. Last year something extra special happened — two of my granddaughters were baptized on Easter Sunday, which made the celebration even more meaningful.
Dr. Mary Drabik, President, South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary
As a child, Easter was a mini-Christmas-like celebration for me and my four siblings. In preparation we would blow the yokes out of the eggshells and then color the empty shells for the Easter Baskets. Later we would use the colored shells for pranks, breaking them over each other’s heads. Sometimes we would forget that we had also colored hardboiled eggs. The one “accidentally” getting hit with those didn’t laugh quite as hard as the rest of us for some reason. Add to this abundant candy, a brand-new shirt and a wonderful baked ham dinner after church, and it was another perfect Easter for the books.
Mike McDermott, Seniors and Probate Specialist, The Keyes Company
Growing up in a Ukrainian home every Easter we would make Ukrainian easter eggs called “Pysanky” – a Ukrainian verb meaning “to write.” We would decorate them with designs of the Cross or the resurrection of Christ or with triangles, which represent the Holy Trinity. Afterwards, we would take them to church on Easter morning to be blessed followed up by a most enjoyable Easter meal with a table adorned with our beautiful “Pysanky.”
Oksana Horton, Creative Director, Torch and Trumpet Theatre Company
The most unique Easter activity that I experienced was when our Church joined several other local churches to have an Easter sunrise service at the beach in Pompano. It was certainly unique to see the sunrise while we were praising and celebrating our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus’ resurrection. The uniqueness of this experience could be analogous to our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus rising from the dead on Easter morning.
O’Neal Dozier, Pastor, The Worldwide Christian Center
My family’s favorite Easter tradition is to be at the beach at Sunrise. Most years we have done it with a church, but not always. My husband would lead us in song and each of us had a part of reading the scripture and telling the story “He is Risen”! My daughter Mai Lyn continues this tradition with her children.
Patricia L. Colangelo, EdS., South Florida Bible College
A very unique experience I’ve had during the Easter Season was during a 10-year period of my early 30’s to 40’s. I had the humbled honor and privilege to play the part of Jesus in a very dramatic Easter Pageant at New Covenant Church in Pompano. There was a simulated crucifixion scene with very intense sound, lighting and special effects, fake blood and a crown of thorns, as I was nailed to a 10-foot wooden cross, and then it was elevated high in front of the audience. With great prayer and fasting, this privileged opportunity each year had to have been one of the most holy and deepest spiritual experiences in my life. THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR US!!
Coach Rick Andreassen, Founder and President, SAINTS Homeschool P.E. and SAINTS International Sports Ministry
Easter lunch with family after the church service is standard around our house. Now with grandchildren, the after-lunch Easter egg hunt adds some fun for all involved. Although not necessarily unique, we like to put candy and money into the plastic eggs we hide in the back yard for the grandkids to find, except the “golden egg,” which has the praying hands of Jesus in the plastic egg and the grandchild who finds it gets the Grand Prize!
Romney C. Rogers, Managing Partner, Rogers, Morris & Ziegler, LLP
While living in Paris in 2012, my wife and I attended a broadly evangelical church that participated in the stations of the cross – something with which I was unfamiliar. Though not common in my own theological tradition, it was a unique experience to walk the various (minimalist) stations as I pondered Jesus’ Passion sequence.
Dr. Scott Manor, President, Professor of Historical Theology, Knox Theological Seminary
A unique Easter activity that has become a tradition for our family has been supporting an organization called the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation in an event called Egg My Lawn. They send people to your house the night before Easter to hide eggs in your yard for the kids on Sunday morning. This organization supports a family that lost their daughter during the shooting at MSD High School in Parkland. As local Parkland residents and being the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Parkland, we made this a tradition over the years to support this family and their organization and to bring some fun to the kids on Easter morning. What better way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus than to shine a Light in the community that we live in. For more information, visit ginarosemontaltomemorialfoundation.org/eggs.
Steve Daigle, Campus Pastor, Calvary Chapel Parkland
Growing up my dad was Jewish and my Mom was Catholic…so we celebrated all the BIG HOLIDAYS of both faiths together…our family tradition then growing up in the NYC area was for Easter was to get a little dressed up and go out to eat in Manhattan. Then we strolled on Fifth Avenue and watched the Easter Day Parade!!!! Now… my son and I go to his church in Davie for Good Friday service and then dinner…On Easter Sunday my wife and I go to our church-Calvary Chapel Miami-near where we live. In the afternoon my son comes, and my wife’s long-time friend join us for a holiday dinner.
Steve Solomon, Area Director, Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC)
I consider Easter the most glorious time of the year. I will take this opportunity to go through the resurrection story and place myself in the narrative. I pray for God to deepen my understanding of the sacrifice He made and that my passion to share the Good News will only grow stronger. I want to be like Mary, who ran to the disciples to tell them, “I have seen the Lord!”
Tewannah Aman, Executive Director, Broward Right to Life
For more Good News, read the GOOD NEWS April 2025 Issue at: https://digital.goodnewsfl.org/2025/april/