Mommy, is it time to bring out the colored eggs?
Are we finally 12 days away from Easter?
Is it my turn to open the egg tonight?
When my kids were little, we started the tradition of the Resurrection Eggs. I made our little colored egg set and it has lasted all these years. As I look back on different family traditions we have adopted, I think counting down to a holiday has always been a favorite. My kids enjoyed doing something every day. I love these eggs that no only are fun, but also build faith and wisdom into my kids’ lives.
Creating a sense of heritage and expectancy, we open a different egg each day. I have also heard of families doing all the eggs at once. Inside each egg, a surprise object and corresponding verse tells the Easter story. Each day builds up to Jesus’ death and resurrection while giving tangible items for my kids to remember. Many of these years, I had a stack of great Easter books to read, one a day, counting down to Easter. Of course, we ate chocolate, too.
Since many of you who read this blog have little princesses and knights, I thought I would give you the plan to make your own Resurrection Eggs. They have been around for many years. In fact, you can even purchase a set from Family Life.
Whether you make them or purchase them, my hope is you will start this new tradition this year. You can make them or order them this week and be ready to start on March 16th - twelve days before Easter. They are easy to make and not expensive. I hope you will enjoy this craft that will give you years of enjoyable memories, as it has in our family.
Making Resurrection Eggs
To make the Resurrection Egg set, you will need an empty egg carton,12 plastic eggs (different colors, if possible), and 11 story starters with verses (shown below). First, number your eggs 1-12. Then place the story starters in each egg that corresponds to the number. Copy off the verse and put inside the egg, too.
(1) Jesus enters on a donkey - a small plastic branch or leaf
Matthew 21:1-11; Zechariah 9:9
(2) Judas betrays Jesus - a dime
Matthew 26: 14-16; 47-50, 27:3-4; Zechariah 11:12-13; Psalm 41-9
(3) Jesus eats the last supper and washes the disciples' feet -small bite size saltines sealed with shellac and small cloth or soap
John 13:3-17; Mark 14:22-26
(4) Garden of Gethsemane - a small plastic cup or let children form small cups from clay
Mark 14: 32 – 41; Luke 22: 39-46
(5) Jesus is arrested and goes before the Sanhedrin – piece of twine
Mark 14:43 – 64
(6) Peter denies Christ – a rooster (can be paper copy)
Luke 22:33-34; Luke 22; 54-62
(7) Soldiers mock Jesus and he is sentenced to death - a small thorn or piece of a small rose bush stem/ I made a sign “King of the Jews”
John 19:1-16
(8) Crucifixion of Jesus - hot glue two small twigs together to make a cross that will fit into the egg or a nail, and a die (for the soldiers casting lots)
John 19: 16 – 24
(9) Death of Jesus – small sponge
Matt. 27: 45-56; Psalm 69: 21
(10) Burial of Jesus – a small piece of linen cloth or gauze and a spice (piece of vanilla bean)
John 19: 38-42
(11) The Tomb-a stone (you can purchase pretty ones in bags in the craft section of stores) and paint the egg black
Matt. 27:62 - 66
(12) He is RISEN! leave this egg empty
Matthew 28:1-10; Psalm 16:8-11
Creating an Easter Book basket
Reading books along with opening the eggs is a wonderful tradition to start. We do a similar practice at Christmastime. If you don’t have any Easter books, I would suggest ordering a few this year and adding to your collection each Easter. You also can fill in your collection with books from the library. Here are a few classic Easter books to review.
The Easter Story by Patricia Pingry
The Legend of the Easter Egg by Lori Walburg
The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
The Country Bunny by Dubose Heyward
P. Zonka Lays an Egg by Julie Paschkis
The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
Easter in the Garden by Pamela Kennedy
The Flowering Cross by Beth Ryan
Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs by Melody Carlson
Of course, we would love for you to add our book, A Royal Easter Story, into your collection as you create wonderful family traditions to celebrate our Lord and Savior.
What traditions do you keep and enjoy this Easter season?
~Jeanna Young
When Jeanna is not writing, speaking, event planning, or homeschooling, she can be found scrapbooking her life, redecorating her home, loving on her husband, planning fun events for her kids or eating healthy to stay cancer-free!
