Easter is a big deal in our home - as active Christians we celebrate the day much like Christmas with champagne, a special lunch with friends and family and of course chocolate Easter treats!
Our day starts with a service called "First Fire" which this year begins at 5.30am. It's a tranquil and moving event for those of us who believe Easter marks the day Jesus rose from the dead after crucifixion.
We carry on our celebrations with a much needed hot breakfast with our church friends at the Vicarage and then it's back (often back to bed!) by 7.30am before the first chocolate Easter eggs are cracked open.
We have a family service and egg hunt at 10am and this year I plan to follow that with a big roast lunch for us and some close friends. Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic I think this year and plenty of crunchy roast potatoes.
Then, much like at Christmas I think some button-loosening and slouching in front of the TV with something sweet and tasty to hand is in order. I think you have to eat at least one complete Easter egg on Easter Sunday don't you? Just don't tell my diabetic nurse!
My 8-year-old daughter is so excited about Easter she created this gorgeous picture which I especially love as she has blended together her knowledge about our faith with some more secular Easter images!
So we have bunnies, birds and Easter eggs alongside Christ on the cross on the hill and even some fish which are commonly used to symbolise Christianity.
The Icthhus fish was used as a secret symbol by early Christians. ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus) stands for Iησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ, (Greek -Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr), which in English means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour".
Whatever your faith I'm sure you'll agree it's a sweet picture. I am hoping that not only will it look good on my 'fridge but that it will earn us some extra Easter goodies. I am entering it into an online competition to win a gorgeous hamper containing £50 worth of Cadburys chocolate!
If you have any budding artists in the family they can enter HERE too.
There are three age categories: Under 5, 6-8 and 9-12. The competition closes on April 10 so there's still plenty of time to get them to get creative with crayons, chalk, paint or pencils or get busy with the computer creating an Easter masterpiece.
Two winners will be picked from each category - Good luck!
Our day starts with a service called "First Fire" which this year begins at 5.30am. It's a tranquil and moving event for those of us who believe Easter marks the day Jesus rose from the dead after crucifixion.
We carry on our celebrations with a much needed hot breakfast with our church friends at the Vicarage and then it's back (often back to bed!) by 7.30am before the first chocolate Easter eggs are cracked open.
We have a family service and egg hunt at 10am and this year I plan to follow that with a big roast lunch for us and some close friends. Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic I think this year and plenty of crunchy roast potatoes.
Then, much like at Christmas I think some button-loosening and slouching in front of the TV with something sweet and tasty to hand is in order. I think you have to eat at least one complete Easter egg on Easter Sunday don't you? Just don't tell my diabetic nurse!
So we have bunnies, birds and Easter eggs alongside Christ on the cross on the hill and even some fish which are commonly used to symbolise Christianity.
The Icthhus fish was used as a secret symbol by early Christians. ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus) stands for Iησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ, (Greek -Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr), which in English means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour".
Whatever your faith I'm sure you'll agree it's a sweet picture. I am hoping that not only will it look good on my 'fridge but that it will earn us some extra Easter goodies. I am entering it into an online competition to win a gorgeous hamper containing £50 worth of Cadburys chocolate!
If you have any budding artists in the family they can enter HERE too.
There are three age categories: Under 5, 6-8 and 9-12. The competition closes on April 10 so there's still plenty of time to get them to get creative with crayons, chalk, paint or pencils or get busy with the computer creating an Easter masterpiece.
Two winners will be picked from each category - Good luck!