Well, maybe people who believe in it will look past the opportunities to spend money and instead think about the actual meaning of the day.

It's a little early here to see any decorating. I normally don't, but have neighbors who do. Having said that, I just looked at the calendar and see that Easter is not that many days off! I usually send cards but honestly have not thought about til now, so I understand where you're coming from.

Our Easter is looking very quiet. I'm not sure what we'll do, we have always spent Easter with my mother and tried to make the day nice for her. Our governor just this afternoon extended our shelter in place through May 4. That takes in her 93rd birthday too, she's already been talking about it when I call her. The last time I was allowed in her building and was upstairs in her apartment was Mar 3. Had a dentist appt the next week and my sister went instead, the last time any of us have been able to see her.

Our church canceled services for March 29th. and for April 5th. Now I'm curious as to whether Easter Sunday service will be held. I bet not.

It will be a solo celebration (well, just me and the dog) but I did buy a ham and some Easter candy on my last shopping trip earlier this week and I don't plan on venturing out again any time soon.

I can at least fix myself a good meal and count on a lot of leftovers :-)

morz8, I'm sorry, Your mother will be so disappointed.

Schoolhouse, most if not all of the churches in our area canceled masses for this month.

Kennswoods, I really really hope your wrong about the summer holidays. We got a family vacation in July. But unfortunately I think you might be right.

I'm not one who really celebrates so most holidays are just another day for me. While I try to be a little festive around Xmas at work (I do the decorating) it just seemed different this year.

SamKaren Your resident dj

As regards Easter, increasingly more people I know who are not of non Christian ancestry share samkaren's view than don't.

I am surprised that people were still going to a candy store this week .. stay home.

Being a more spiritual than a religious person, I tend to think of Easter as just a celebration of spring and a new season of life. And I don't know too many that can't get on board with that!

And I got my candy at the grocery store, thank you very much.

Maddielee, grocery stores are still open and will remain so.

P.S. gardengal, I posted my comment before I saw your, lol. Maddie's comment irritated me, too. 😉

I got my peeps, M&M, and such at the grocery store. Some toys from Amazon. But there is nothing better than a really good piece of chocolate and my kids and grands love it. Except for a person checking out when I went in i was the only customer in the store. A lot less people than the grocery store.

I do what I normally do. Put up the easter egg wax warmer, buy some reeses eggs and put em in the freezer, and whatever other candy I want to pick at, and I put up some pink lights around the new plexiglass barrier at work that separates us from the truck drivers. (Okay,that is NOT Easter related, I just wanted to hang some pink lights so it wouldn't look so much like a prison visitation chamber. But people HAVE asked if it is for Easter!) I am trying to be good,candy wise though.

I usually do all the cooking for any family gathering and easter is usually no different but as I have not heard anything from anyone about an Easter party, I am guessing that we will not have one this year. That is fine with me. Just me and SO suits me any day, holiday or not.I feel bad for my mom and dad,though. They are VERY devout Catholics and Easter was and is always so important to them. Any reason to get together is really. I suspect it will be a very boring,if not sad one for them.

I haven't celebrated Easter since my kids were living at home. My daughter's birthday is at the end of this month and was going to buy tickets a couple months ago for her to see a musical at the opera house here, but put it off wondering if this virus would shut the show down. I'm glad I didn't buy the tickets.

There is nothing wrong with families having Easter egg hunts in their yard with just their family or having a nice meal with just their immediate family that lives in their home. You can still celebrate just not in crowds.

We Haven’t had little kids and family brunch for a few years now, but I will sorely miss Easter service. Our bell choir is out “for the duration”, and we were preparing some beautiful pieces. We had an especially lovely one for Lent, for this coming Sunday, that will go unheard. Good Friday, the solemn day and evening service, reaches down to my depths. And the glory of Easter, you just want to burst into song, and the songs soar and carry you right along.

In many Christian churches, they “put away” the Alleluias for Lent, and they are pronounced again on Easter. It will seem odd to shout “Alleluia” from the front porch, but maybe it will become a new tradition?

I‘m feeling closer to Passover this year, the sense of preparing and staying safe inside with your family, and hoping the virus does, in fact, pass over.

I do have some Easter candy hiding in the basement pantry for my boys, and I‘m pleased to announce (confess?) I’ve only broken into the bag of jelly beans.

But yikes, typing this I realize I won’t see our older son! Maybe we will do a drive-by past his building, he can be on the sidewalk and we will Hail-Mary-pass him his Easter basket.

We'll watch Mass from St. Peter's, I guess. We'll have decorated eggs during Holy Week, and I still do baskets for my boys, but obviously the excitement of gathering at church, gathering with friends for brunch afterwards, will not happen. Williams Sonoma has great Easter candies on sale already. No need to visit a store.

Bpath, yes, yes, the music on Easter Sunday is glorious.

Sushipup- if you mean people who believe in spring, the cycle of our planet when new life happens, the days are warmer, the food more plentiful, the animals all having babies, the flowers coming back, I can't imagine why they wouldn't think about the meaning of it!

Kathsgrdn is right. No reason people can't celebrate it, I'm certainly planning on it. I've got a small turkey in the freezer that dd2 asked if we could cook. I'm going to have mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and carrots, dinner rolls and we will still dye eggs so after the hunt, we will have hard boiled eggs to eat.

I do need to get some chocolate, it just isn't Easter without chocolate!

I don't even know when Easter is this year! Is it this Sunday?

April 12

I will have my 10 year old overnight on that Sat. So on the last foray to the grocery store I picked out a bunch of candy so I'd be sure to have some. I just have to stay out of it, lol. I doubt he "believes" in the Easter Bunny any more, but I do. I made sure to find my bag of Easter decoration and plastic eggs today. I'll probably make us a special breakfast, then he'll go home later in the day.

A few weeks ago, I thought I was being so smart by ordering the special candies I usually get from See's. About a week after I ordered they shut down their distribution centers and cancelled my order. I was sad, but understand not wanting to put their workers at risk.

All churches are closed here, and we do not plan to have a get together, we are all trying to stay in our own homes. I have been in my home for over 3 weeks. That does not mean we have forgotten Easter and its meaning.

Sue

I've already announced that Easter dinner is out. I told my family that when this thing is over we will have a celebration dinner of whatever they would like, whether it is the Easter ham dinner or a BBQ, no matter. We aren't churchgoers anyway, and even though we are Christians, most of the "Easter" traditions have nothing to do with Christianity anyway - it's all Spring celebrations which I have no issues with but don't find to be essential components to my faith.

I couldn't disagree more. Lent has been a real call back to our Lord. Many sacrifices were chosen but also many were thrust upon us. The gift has been daily Mass sent out virtually by many different parishes including our own. Father missed us and even put our pictures up so we are there:

I am looking forward earnestly to Holy week and the climax of Easter. I have had my diorama of Holy Week up all Lent. I just put out my Easter things and while everyone was hoarding TP a couple of weeks ago I made sure the Easter candy was here for my kids when they arrive. We are only 6. We are all still working so it's been busy but we will gather next Friday.

Easter is about the fulfillment of a promise and I will be here rejoicing ready to receive!!

Today I will listen at 3 to see if I hear the church bells. Supposedly they are all to ring from all the Catholic Churches every day at 3 for those who have died.

The churches have been closed since the 15.

Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter will be more meaningful than ever for me.

No extended get togethers this year. I will try and make an Easter dinner for those in the household.

I normally host Easter dinner, but not this year...it's just not safe getting so many people together especially mixing children with a bunch of us 60+ types. So I told DH I'd make him a ham sandwich.

I think this will be the first Easter we haven't spent with our kids ever. I love when we all go to Mass together on Easter morning. Our son is 38 today. Our daughter turned 33 last Friday. Our precious angel granddaughter will be 1 on April 25. I don't think we will be together for any of it. It makes me so sad to be apart from them but it's what we have to do right now. I am very grateful for skype and video calls. We skyped this morning with our son and our daughter and grandbaby. Chase blows kisses, says dada and mama and has a heart melting laugh and smile.

I'll be watching mass on tv Easter morning and will thank God for the many blessings in my life. Happy Easter everyone, whatever meaning it has for you and however you celebrate it.

Wow, the OP wrote that she had gone to a candy store, not a grocery store. I am surprised that candy stores are essential.

I think our rules are that you can do what you need to do to operate your business while keeping safe. For most, that takes flexibility, for many it takes creativity.

We have candy stores that are open for delivery or curbside pickup only. Privately owned, family run. You can shop virtually, some owners will FaceTime with you around the store, or you can literally “window shop”.

Arcy _gw, the picture of the pews in your church is incredibly tender.

Maddielee, I was surprised also that the chocolate stores are open. I guess technically it is food. Most of the heavily advertised ones are only doing mail order or pick up. But the selection is way down. The one I go to is a mom & pop store in the middle of nowhere and they don't advertise. But they have the best chocolate.

I celebrate it everyday

He is Risen!!!!

It didn't even dawn on me that next weekend is Easter until I was filling out my work schedule for next week.

Last year I had my brother and SIL over for dinner on Good Friday. I'll make something delicious for myself this year.

As far as the upcoming holidays potentially being cancelled, I know that this year's Ride for Dad, habitually held in June is being postponed. It might be tough finding a common date for the hundreds of riders who participate :-(

This is our (Greeting cards) very busiest time of the year, Easter & Mother's Day. But now I don't go back to work until at least April 27th if then. Not selling many cards this season I imagine. It's going to be a rush getting Mother's day cards out if it's at all possible.

Like Bpath, I feel closer to Passover this year, and I also had been thinking of this.

When people can gather once again, we will have a big get togeather. and have a fun day for all. We will do the bunny thing and any other events missed (birthdays mayday, Easter , and just being free again) Right now mom and three boys are at home and dad is at his company in Alaska (can not come home each weekend like normal) and I am at my house 10 blocks away. There are just the 6 of us.