This year I have decided to decorate my house for Easter. I didn't use to be into doing much seasonal home decorating (except for christmas) but this year, for some reason, I wanted to do something different. It was my desire to make a conscious effort to take time to acknowledge and reflect upon the great importance of Easter--the day we set aside to celebrate the Resurrection.
(Disclaimer: Yes, I do realize Easter itself began as a pagan holiday and we do not celebrate it as such, but for the sake of simplicity, when I refer to Easter hereafter in this post, I am simply referring to the Christian holiday celebrating Resurrection of Christ.)
When I was studying about "remembrance" a few weeks back, the many directives throughout the Word of God concerning erecting memorials or monuments to remind God's people of His faithfulness in times past really stuck with me...
As a believer, I, too, want to be intentional in my own home when it comes to placing reminders or memorials to help my family and I reflect and remember the goodness of God and call to mind His everlasting faithfulness!! I want my kids to see Jesus in our home, in my own everyday conduct and conversation. I want Jesus to be and REMAIN the focal point in our home!
So naturally, with this goal in mind, Easter seemed to be the perfect opportunity to put those ideas in action.
I was able to find some simple, yet very poignant decor that will point our family to back to the true origin of Easter-- Our Resurrected Savior!!
(Hobby Lobby is where I got most of my Easter decor. All of their spring shop and seasonal stuff was 40% off but if you don't have extra money to spend, never fear!! There are tons of DIY ideas online to make Easter/Resurrection decor very affordable or even for free! It doesn't get much easier than printing off free printables with Resurrection Day quotes on them and popping them in a photo frame to display on your table or shelf.
Here are just a couple I found right off hand. (Disclaimer: I simply searched free religious Resurrection Day printable quotes. I do not expressly approve of, condone or endorse the content of any of these sites. I haven't checked them out besides the printable itself.)
He Has Risen – Three free Easter printables by The 36th Avenue
Christ the Lord is Risen Today – Free Easter chalkboard printable by Hymns and Verses
He Has Risen Just as He Said – Free printable by Gimme Some Oven
There are so many ways we can implement Jesus into our homes! Even on a shoestring budget! We just have to get creative and look for ways to do so!)
I , myself, had a tight budget for decorating. I snagged a few central pieces at Hobby Lobby like I said but I rounded out my Easter decor with a few DIY projects as well!!
DIY decor is an excellent choice for those who don't have a lot of money to spend but still want to cultivate an atmosphere of appreciation for Resurrection Day in their home. DIYing your Easter decor is also an great option for those who evangelize (AKA-- live full time in a RV with little to no extra storage space for seasonal decor items!)
or perhaps, those who are in season of life where having alot of extra clutter and seasonal decor to store each year is unappealing... after Easter, you can simply toss it out and remake it again next year if you so desire. Seasonal cute decor without having to store? Sounds like a win-win!
Here is a few of the simple DIYs I made this year...
This one was super easy. I just hot glued sticks
together. I already had the wood trough bowl. I just filled it with dirt and stuck my crosses in. I added some pebbles and moss from outdoors and Waa-la!--absolutely free Easter decoration!
Another awesome freebie for me was this one: (well, at least I think it's cute-- my husband may or may not have commented about a "plus sign" in a weed filled garden... 🤷🏼♀️ lol 😂 )
I already had this wood bowl and I filled it with random greenery that I had hanging out in my (rotational) home decor tote. I made another hot glued stick cross and stuck in in the center back of the arrangement - as a simple reminder of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice---His life, willingly laid down on a cross so we may go free....
My kids and I also made this cute Resurrection garden. (it, too, was free for us to make!)
I just used a bowl I already had on hand.
We filled the bowl with small rocks the kids had gathered from outdoors. Then, we added a (washed out/empty) yogurt container for the "tomb". We covered it with dirt to make a mound for Calvary's hill. We hot glued sticks together to make 3 crosses and stuck them into the "hill". We decorated the garden with moss, pebbles, small plants, etc... along with a larger rock for the tombstone to go over the opening of the tomb. I think it turned out pretty well!
When my kids were a bit younger, I did this as well but I incorporated the Easter story as an activity with the garden. At the time, they had a tiny Jesus figure. I attached him to the cross on Friday as I read them about the crucifixion. Later that evening, we removed "Jesus" from the cross and wrapped him in toilet paper to represent the grave clothes. We placed him inside the tomb... I read the coordinating verses as we did so. I made sure to speak in a somber, sad tone...We placed the stone over the tomb, sealing Jesus inside. I added a toy soldier outside to "guard" the tomb. The next day, as they woke and rushed to the garden to see if anything had happened, they were met with a still sealed tomb. I reiterated the story we had discussed the previous day, again, with a sad tone... but I did leave them with hope that, perhaps, there may be more to the story (After all, Jesus did promise to rise again, but was that even possible? Who gets up from the grave? ) We would have to wait and see...
Easter Sunday morning , before the kids woke, I removed Jesus from the tomb. I added an angel in His place and a little sign that declared "He is not here! He is risen, as He said!
When the kids woke up, they ran to the garden see if Jesus was still "dead". To their delight, Jesus had indeed risen just as He had promised! I proceeded to finish reading the resurrection story as told by the gospels!
I thoroughly enjoyed this illustration! It was a wonderful opportunity bring the Bible to life in a tangible way for my kids to see!! I highly recommend!!
(Another idea for this illustration--a Sunday school craft project!! --I am filling in as Sunday school teacher this year for the intermediate class on Easter Sunday and I plan to have the kids recreate individual gardens as part of my lesson on the Resurrection!
I also added some random Resurrection Day quotes (printed/framed) throughout my home. Some of my favorites are these simple quote: " A lot can happen in three days..." ----"worthy is the Lamb" ---"He is Risen" ---- "He's Alive!" and that's just to name a few, there are many, many more options.
Here are just a few other DIY Resurrection Day decor items I found online that are super cute as well....
DIY Mantle Decor--Palm branches, crown of thorns, empty tomb, donkey, etc...
No link but seems self explanatory-- Jute twine and some florals can easily transform a painted piece of wood into a stunning decor piece.
Also no link but easy to recreate
No link --but a simple chalkboard and wreath you may already have on hand can be easily revamped to reflect the Resurrection
Just Google "Resurrection Day DIY decor" and you will see that there are many, many other options as well. These were just a few ideas that I saw and thought were neat!
I love that intentionally placing decor in my home that serve as a reminder of Jesus and His great sacrifice (and His great Triumph!). These pieces subtly redirect us back to "the real reason behind the season" ... (that's not just Christmas! No way!
In reality, Easter is ALL about Jesus too!)
These simple, yet subtle, additions to your home can make a surprisingly big impact! As I mentioned before in the post on decorating with reminders of God's goodness, having visual representations in your home will lead you to subconsciously think upon "things above" more often. Ever heard the saying "out of sight, out of mind"? It's so true!
So, to combat this, I have found that having visual reminders, displayed as decor in my home, willl increase the amount of times God and His goodness come to mind.
In this case, when I see the cross, as I am dusting my living room, or as I am cooking dinner or tidying up the house, it puts the "wheels in motion" for me to begin to reflect on Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross. I begin to think about how much He suffered so that I didn't have to. He paid a price that I could have never paid. He bought my redemption with His precious blood! By just stopping to reflect upon the cross, my heart begins to swell with gratitude for my Savior. Oh, What a Savior! What a master ! Oh, What a friend is He!! 🎶
Likewise, when I look over and see the empty tomb, I am reminded, He IS ALIVE! Death could NOT hold him. The grave could not keep Him! Hell could NOT stop Him! He is forever Risen! And Because He lives, I can live also! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Wow! What powerful reminders a few visual cues can initiate!
Next week, I will be sharing some ideas and inspiration for activities, crafts, and traditions to make celebrating Easter more centered on celebrating Christ this year!!
So, Stay tuned for part 2--
Because He lives,
Tiphanie 💖