I can’t help but feel nostalgic knowing my family’s 2020 Easter Celebration is going to be different this year. For my family’s safety and others, we are choosing to spend the holiday at home, sans grandma and grandpa, and skip the annual Easter egg hunt at a local park. Even though I won’t get to see my daughter zip around other kids in an attempt to gather the most eggs, COVID-19 may alter our celebration but not our spirits.

Here are a few tips on how to celebrate Easter at home during COVID-19.

Be the bunny

Even though we are practicing social distancing and avoiding gatherings like a public egg hunt, I will continue to play the Easter Bunny at my house (I do it every year). If you haven’t tried it already, it’s a lot of fun hiding eggs in your own home. Make it into a game by hiding eggs in unusual places or fill plastic eggs with a special surprise. My daughter loves finding jelly-bean filled eggs.

Get ideas for fun indoor hiding spots

Dye your “eggs” differently

To avoid those nonessential trips to the store, look at your crafts supply for dye or real-egg substitutes. If real eggs are in short supply, decorate something else. My daughter loves to decorate rocks – they’re egg-shaped right? You can also make fake eggs with balled-up paper and masking tape, or two-dimensional egg-shaped cutouts. If you don’t have any dye, decorate your eggs with stickers, glue and sparkles, craft paper, markers or nail polish. Just make sure your decoration methods are safe for consumption if you plan on eating any decorated real eggs.

Check out 15 dye alternatives

Think differently and safely about traditions

  • If grandma and grandpa can’t be there physically, video call them so they can watch your in-house egg hunt – remember COVID-19 may keep us distanced, but we’re never really apart.
  • Dress your child in their Easter Sunday dress and take memorable photos even if you don’t go out.
  • Check to see if your church offers an online service and attend virtually.
  • Lacking sweet candy treats? Bake cookies or homemade sweets at home.
  • Cook a holiday meal with what’s in your fridge and avoid unnecessary trips to the store. Any dinner spent together is a good one, even if it’s not a holiday ham.

Check out this video for no-shopping meal ideas

Happy Easter!

Jasmine Hall, 29, is a native Montanan who lives in Bozeman with her boyfriend and 4-year-old daughter. She has a BA in journalism and media studies, previously worked as a newspaper reporter, and is Recording Supervisor at the Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder’s Office.