Celebrating the Holidays (Easter/Pesach) with Children

[Ninjamom]

For everyone celebrating this season, greetings and blessings to you and your families!

The idea for this thread came from another thread about 'what the holidays mean to you personally'. While that is a very important topic, those of us with young children know the equally important question, "How do you pass on the meaning and importance of these holidays so the children can understand and participate?"

So how 'bout it, everyone? What are some things you have done (that worked, that didn't work, or that have become family traditions at your house) to include your children in the celebration?

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Well, typically, I give them the basis for the holiday in terms of the current perception of it (Easter is the resurrection, for example). Then, we discuss the various traditions associated with the holiday and their origins. Then, we just celebrate. Which is to say, I involve them in all the traditions passed down to me...sometimes adding one or two along the way. We've celebrated seasons, religious holidays, national holidays, each with an explanation. Most everything has worked that we've done.

 

[Ninjamom]

As author of the thread and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer of the Household, I thought I'd go first:
ADDED ON EDIT: But OnlyAnEgg posted before I could hit "Send"

Here is a very simple idea for including small children in the Resurrection Celebration, and helping them understand its meaning:

Resurrection Cookies Recipe

You will need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch salt
1 cup sugar
a zipper baggy
1 wooden spoon
scotch tape
Bible

Instructions:
These are to be made the evening before Easter. Preheat oven to 300F.
*** (this is very important --- don't wait until you are half done with the recipe).


Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read: John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life
to give us life. Read: John 10:10&11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read: Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.Read: Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed. Read: Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED!

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read: John 16:20&22

On Resurrection Sunday (Easter) morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read: Matthew 28:1-9


http://www.praisecommunications.org/rescookies.htm

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I LIKE that!

 

[Ninjamom]

I HIGLY recommend that everyone celebrate a traditional Passover Seder at least once, whether you consider your family Jewish or Christian. It is an excellent way to bring children in to an understanding and celebration of the holidays. (In fact, that was always something that I admired about Conservative Judaism: the way traditions and celebrations are geared towrds bringing up children in an active, living faith).

Anyway, a few years back I celebrated a Traditional passover Seder at my house, for exactly those reasons. My husband was out of town for his job, and my children were a lot younger than they are now, so it had some comical results.

Here is what Passover looked like at our house:

One might ask, why would a family of Irish Evangelical Christians celebrate
Passover? For me, it had a very deep symbolism and meaning. God had made
His covenant with Abraham, who became father to the Jewish nation, and
spiritual father to all those who follow his example of faith. The
deliverance from Egypt bears witness to the deliverance from sin that would
be offered centuries later, through the shed blood of another Lamb at
Passover. As each member of the Jewish family personally experiences the
Exodus through the Passover seder, so each member of Abraham's family of
faith must personally experience salvation through the Messiah.

I wanted to impart something of the rich heritage of our faith to my
children....the shared history of Passover and the last seder, the feast of
unleavened bread and the spotless sacrifice for sin, the first-fruits and
the resurrection from the dead. I read as much as I could to prepare. I
learned the meaning and symbolism of each element of the seder, plus as much
history as I could find. I read from the most learned teachers, and the
sages of generations past. I found how to answer the wise son, the wicked
son, the simple son, and the son who knows not to ask. But nothing could
prepare me for the son who sings "happy birthday" whenever candles are lit,
with one finger in his nose, or the son who likes to break matzo into pieces
suitable for leaning, stacking, and building little houses.

This is how we celebrated Passover at my house:

Me: Everyone wash for dinner. (Mom lights candles)

Enter L (age 7): Whose birthday is it??!?!?

M: It's not anyone's birthday. We're celebrating the "Passover" tonight!

Enter K (age 5): Whose birthday is it??!?!?

M: It's not anyone's birthday. We're celebrating the "Passover" tonight!

Enter R (age 3): "Happy Birfday to you Happy Birtday to you"

M: It's not anybody's birthday. We're going to celebrate "Passover"

L: Why is that plate in the middle?

R: What's THAT?

L: What is that in the glass?

M: Everybody watch what I'm doing, and I'll explain everything as we go
along.

L: Why is there an egg on the table?

K: How come MY plate doesn't have an egg?

L: I don't like eggs. Do I have to eat eggs?

K: What is THAT??!?!

L: Mom, R's trying to blow out the candles!

R: Happy birtday to you Happy birtday to you

(About now I'm beginning to wonder what I've gotten myself into. Realizing
we haven't reached the first plague, I momentarily contemplate ordering out
for pizza.)

M: I'm going to break the middle matzo and hide it.

K: Can I eat some?

M: That comes at the end of the meal.

K: When do we eat?

M: This is the poor bread of affliction that our fathers ate.

L: Can I have jelly on mine?

M: Now, everybody can dip their bitter vegetable into the salt water. This
reminds you of how bitter it was to be in slavery, and of our tears when we
cried out to the Lord to save us.

L: Hey, this tastes good. I want some more.

K: Can I have more?

R: Give me some!

M: Now everybody lean over and rest. OK, not quite that far over. Get back
up at the table RIGHT NOW!

M: R, you have a very important part. You get to ask the "Four
Questions". R, I want you to ask me, "Why is this night different from
all others?"

R: I don't know.

M: No, R, you don't have to answer, I want you to ask. "Why is this
night different than all others?"

R: But I DON'T KNOW!!

M: R, just say "Why is this night different?"

R: Why diffrunt dis night?

<<Following an explanation of the slavery and deliverance of the Hebrew
people>>

M: Now everyone spill some grapejuice from your finger once for each plague
<<Blood through Death of Firstborn>>
OK L, you can get your fingers out of your grapejuice now.

M: Does anyone know why we have an empty place at the table?

K: That's for Daddy. He's at work.

M: R, stop spilling your grapejuice-the plagues are over.

L: Can I have more of the bitter stuff?

K: Mommy, when are we going to eat?

L: Can I have more un-lemon bread?

(DINNERTIME)

K:...and this broccoli is the burning bush where God talked to Moses!

M: K, stop playing with your food!

K: I was just telling the rest of the story!

(She had a point....I had just spent about a half hour using food to tell a
story from the Bible. And, the Haggadah does say that, "whoever enlarges
upon the tale of the outgoing from Egypt, that one merits praise." So, I
let her expand upon the usual Passover story, with the help of our dinner
food. Soon, Moses, Pharaoh, and possibly some pyramids all appeared, neatly
arranged in vegetables and sauce.)

L: I like the un-eleven bread.

K: Do we get dessert?

Well, I cannot be certain how much spiritual truth this seder imparted to my
children. Hopefully, as they get older, they will learn more, and gain
appreciation and understanding each year, as God gives them grace. In the
meantime, I thank Him for granting me enough patience to try. Next
year...in Jerusalem.

 

[Carol]

That's a fantastic story Ninjamom!

While I don't have children, I think one of the best things a family can do is simply...be a family and share stories as a family. Telling age-appropriate stories from scriptures....or sharing what how other family members have shared the holidays.

Personally I think creative activities such as arts and crafts are great ways of sharing the meanings with children because it brings the child to think about or even meditate on the story while he/she is working on the craft.

I really believe that simple things such as doing activities together as a family go along way to helping a child grow in their understanding. There are many things a family can do that don't take a lot of stress or a lot of money...they just require a lot of love. Of the many facets to Easter and Pesach stories, perhaps the most important of all is that of love.