Losing a beloved family member is always hard. But losing a mother just before a holiday is especially difficult. Easter isn’t just a religious day, but it’s a holiday that families celebrate together. You might have beautiful memories of spending Easter with your mom, and that can make the date feel that much harder.
You might not feel especially celebratory as Easter approaches this year, but there are still some ways you can acknowledge the date and honor the memory of your mom at the same time.
Go to Church
If your mother was a member of a local church, you can honor her memory and celebrate Easter by attending an Easter Mass. Many people think of the Easter Vigil as the most lovely liturgy of the whole year. And going to Easter Sunday services can help you remember and honor departed loved ones.
Keep Her Traditions Alive
Moms are often the ones who make Easter fun and memorable. If your mom had any favorite Easter traditions, you can keep up those traditions with other family members, including kids or adults.
For example, maybe your mom put together amazing Easter baskets every year, or maybe she created elaborate Easter egg hunts. If your mom did something special every Easter, continue the tradition!
Visit the Cemetery
Of course, you can visit your mother’s grave any time of the year. But many people find comfort in visiting their loved one’s final resting place on special days of the year. After celebrating Easter with family, you can stop by your mother’s grave to wish her a happy Easter.
You can bring with you an Easter basket with flowers, or spend a few minutes telling her about your day. Or you just sit quietly and feel like your mom is there with you.
Create a Kite
Making and flying a DIY kite is a longstanding and beloved Easter activity in the Caribbean Islands. Flying a kite is also a great way to honor a departed loved one.
You can create a unique kite using your mom’s favorite colors and designs. Take your kite to a park or outdoor location that she loved, and see if it flies. Looking up into the sky, you can feel closer to your mother and imagine her looking down on you with a smile.
Decorate with Lilies
Lilies represent innocence and rebirth, which is why they’re traditionally associated with Easter. They are also associated with remembering departed loved ones.
If your mother loved flowers, you could make a bouquet of lilies to display in your home for Easter. Lilies can also make the perfect centerpiece for an Easter dinner.
Listen to Her Favorite Songs
As you celebrate Easter, you can play some of your mom’s favorite music in the background. Put together a “Mom’s Favorites” playlist, and put it on repeat. You can play the playlist during lunch and other Easter activities as a way to remind other families of your mom.
Cook Her Favorite Recipes
A big part of most Easter celebrations is gathering together for a special Easter meal, whether it’s lunch or dinner. You can keep your mother’s memory alive by cooking her favorite dishes using her recipes if you have them. And if your mom wasn’t a fan of cooking or baking, you can find a recipe that you think she’d love, instead.
Pray
Even if you don’t attend an Easter Mass, you can hold a moment of silence or read a poem or psalm to honor your mom. Simply taking a moment of stillness and reflection can be an impactful way for all of your guests to remember their lost loved ones.
Make a Toast to Mom
If prayer isn’t your style, you can ask your guests to lend their attention for a quick toast. Pour a glass of your mom’s favorite Easter beverage, hold it up high, and share some of your favorite memories of your mother. You can even invite others to say what they remember and loved most about her.
Honor Her with Easter Baskets
One of the most popular Easter traditions is the Easter basket. You can fill these goodie baskets with treats like candy and chocolate or toys and tinsel.
Easter baskets offer many ways to honor and remember your mom. Consider these ideas:
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A photo of your mother
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Your mom’s favorite candy or chocolate
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A tag with “Love, Grandma” attached to your children’s baskets
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A copy of her favorite poem or quote
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A theme or color palette your mom would have loved
Plant Something
As part of your Easter celebrations, you could create a “living memorial” to honor your mom.
Plant a tree, or choose a vegetable, herb, or flower your mom loved.
Alternatively, you could build DIY birdhouses or create a butterfly garden. These are also fun ways to keep kids entertained on Easter, as a bonus.
Do Something Charitable
One of the best ways to remember and honor a loved one is by giving back to the community. If your mom always cared for others and performed charitable acts, you can keep her memory alive by volunteering your time. Consider giving to a charity she was passionate about.
Grieving on Easter
Facing a holiday when you’re grieving, especially if that person loved this specific holiday, is never easy. If you feel like you can’t even plan activities for Easter without feeling incredibly low, consider finding support from a grief counselor and reaching out to family and friends. You’re not alone in your grief, and there are resources that can help.
Attribution:
We’re thankful that they’ve shared this helpful article with us. While it deals specifically with celebrating Easter after the death of a mother, the basic principles can be applied to any loved one who has died and any holiday that is hard.
https://www.joincake.com/blog/easter-without-mom/
