Information provided by Ochsner Baton Rouge.

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – For many, Easter is a time to celebrate faith and family while enjoying cooler spring temperatures before the onset of Louisiana summer heat. During the COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing measures, this Easter might be a little different for most families. Ochsner Baton Rouge has compiled seven suggested activities to make it a little easier to enjoy Easter with your loved ones.

  • Share Your Family Recipes – Like any great family gathering, the food usually takes center stage. Is it your dad’s famous honey-baked ham? Your grandma’s key lime pie? Don’t miss out on all your favorite staples! Compile a list of everyone’s dishes and send them out via text or email to the whole family. Have everyone try creating the dishes in their own kitchens and share pictures of the finished products with your whole family.
  • Host a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt – Invite the littlest members of your family to participate in a virtual egg hunt. This one takes a little bit of planning on the front-end. Make sure each family that is participating has some treats at home. As the host of the hunt, hide eggs around your house or yard in places that would be easy to see on FaceTime or Zoom. Turn the camera around so that the kids on the call can see your house or yard as you walk around. When they say they see an egg, pick it up and award the child who spotted it a point. At the end, count each child’s points and have their parents give them the treats that correspond to each virtual egg they found.
  • Attend an Online Church Service – Many churches are streaming their services for everyone to enjoy virtually. If your family tradition is attending church to celebrate Easter, have the family tune into your church’s online service from their own homes. After the service, set up a Zoom call to discuss the message of Easter with your loved ones.
  • Reach Out to Your Elderly Relatives and Neighbors – The holidays can be a hard time to be away from family. During the coronavirus outbreak, the elderly population is at higher at-risk and therefore has to practice social distancing from even those closest to them. Make sure they feel loved on Easter (and every day) by connecting with them via text, call, FaceTime or Zoom.
  • Create Your Own Dye for Easter Eggs – No need to run out to a grocery store for a fancy dye kit. You can make your own dye at home with what you already have in your pantry. All you need are eggs, vinegar and food coloring to make beautiful Easter eggs with your family.
  • Support Small Businesses for Easter Basket Goodies – While the easiest way to provide an Easter basket is to pick up a pre-made one from the store, this year it is especially important to support small, local businesses. Get creative with your basket, stuffing it with locally sourced products. Reach out to your favorite local boutique to see if they are accepting orders via phone for pick up or delivery.
  • Have a Meet and Greet with the Easter Bunny – Does one of your family members own a bunny costume? They definitely get the cool relative award, if so. Forgo the usual pictures at the mall and set up a video chat to let the kids talk to the Easter Bunny instead.

Remember – we are all doing our part to social distance and flatten the curve. With a little creativity and planning, your Easter holiday will be one to remember!