celebrating Easter

[Hestia]

Just wondering how/if some of you celebrate the 'traditional' Easter along with Ostara and if you have children, how do you handle combining the two together?

In my home I celebrated Ostara with my 4 yr old by taking him on a spring picnic in our backyard. We made egg salad sandwhiches and peaches and creme. Then we went on a nature walk and watched the birds and ducks and we talked about the earth waking up from her winter sleep. This weekend the Easter celebration with my family will include the traditional egg hunt which my son looks forward to. I try to view this celebration as part of my family tradition and although my family is very Catholic our gathering doesn't carry any overlty religious overtones (now my in-laws who are born again Christians are another story). I try to explain to my son that people can celebrate each season in different ways and at this point I think he just enjoys the idea of having several days to celebrate and have fun.

[Mariposa De La Luna]

I'm in the same boat as you. I don't know if you are but I'm still in the broom closet with my family, not with my husbands'.
Unfortunately, this year for Osatra we couldn't have an egg hunt because it was very hectic but we did go to an open circle. As for Easter, my MIL invites my family over since we have lots of kids. My family is catholic and they go to church and do their thing and then come by afterwards. Easter is not very religious just like Christmas. So my daughter, baby is too little, just sees us celebrating. she doesn't know the Easter story, I think. I don't find it any of a conflict because in my heart I am celebrating Spring. If you take it farther and believe All Gods are one God in effect it really doesn't matter.

[Amethyst Rose]

I celebrate both Pagan and Christian holidays.... because I grew up with those holidays, not neccesarily the Christian beliefs. I believe Easter is a holiday all about spring and chocolate :). And Christmas is all about family and gifts.
Anyway.... I celebrate both, so I end up having two easters and two christmases and two thanksgivings....etc. Double the fun! :) I imagine I'll be doing the same thing once I have kids....

This year, although I don't have kids, I will be celebrating easter.... I'm planning on hiding an easter basket, complete with chocolate bunny, for my hubby :)

I'm a sucker for holidays.....

[Fawn]

Where I am I reguard Ostara as the Goddess waking up and Easter is when she has had her coffee finally. Easter is the traditional egg hunt (due to my region) also when I bury my four eggs.

[ruthie]

Fawn I just love the idea of Easter being the coffee time. That was funny. Thanks.

We celebrate anything in our family. Any reason for Elea to have a good time is fine by me. Whether it be Christian, Pagan, Hindu, Islam, I have no worry. It is a way for my beloved little one to learn more about the world in which we live and the people that populate it.

[Fawn]

Ruthi glad you liked my coffee time analogy and btw I love that you are raising your child to regconize all holidays how wonderful!!

[sherry]

Yhes holiday ideas are great!! I also do not have children but am godmother to my sisters 4 girl and my brothers 2 boys and 1 girl. I do try to do something special for them and not get in the way of the religion they are being taught by their parents. All of the children know I do not go to their church or any like it and are ok with it since they know I work night shift and have all of their lives!

They are so special to me and I would love to bring them into my celebrating without angering the parents, so today we did earthday at our local fair grounds and tommorrow we will plant the trees we recieved!!
:p

[Alphyna]

I think Easter is a lot of fun! But I decided with my husband that we would do it a little differently than what our family wants. Everyone was making a huge uproar about chocolate. We don't think it is appropiate to give children chocolate, candy, pop, most junk foods. We do slip up once in awhile, but not with gross amounts. Instead, we focus on the egg. A wonderful symbol of fertility, new beginings and growth. Ezrah is only 19mths, but we painted eggs together, which he thuroughly enjoyed!), and painted with watercolor a large picture with eggs and flowers. We later had a feast of ham and scalloped potatoes, and thanked our food for being there ;). I don't think it is healthy or smart to focus on sweets at any holiday. Halloween is a tricky one, we're still working on that.
Brightest Blessings to All, Alphyna

[Yvonne Belisle]

April and May are my nightmare months. 2 of my children were born in April and 2 of my children in May. I am also of Christian and Jewish desent so we celebrate those holidays in honor of those who have gone before. I get to make each one different and special so that no child feels slighted.

[Dria El]

Originally posted by Hestia
Just wondering how/if some of you celebrate the 'traditional' Easter along with Ostara and if you have children, how do you handle combining the two together?

Yep, we celebrate every holiday we can get our hands on! lol The kids got Easter baskets at their dads. We did easter egg hunts with my family. And I gave them a seed planted in an egg for an Ostara gift. It changes year by year (at least on my part, one year we did egg hunts in the dark with flashlights [of course they were plastic eggs!]). Whatever we feel like doing that year (hehe or me).