Celebrate the Real Reasons Behind Easter
When Easter comes around, it’s easy to get caught up in chocolate eggs and hot cross buns. But Easter has now become (like Christmas) simply a consumerist binge, leading to lots of factory-farmed animal products on sale, and a plastic mountain.
Of course, the real reason to celebrate was the risen Christ, after he was crucified on the cross. One could argue that this was more of an important celebration than Christmas (which celebrates the birth of Christ, and there is debate whether that was in December!)
Jesus Listens is a beautifully illustrated 40-day devotional for Lent and Easter, complete with Scripture, prayers and reflections. Spend these days in time with the Lord, to carry you into the season to celebrate the joy of resurrection of Jesus.
Enjoy more peaceful moments this holiday season. Find words of hope, from God’s heart to yours. This devotional is ideal for:
- Anyone longing to draw closer to Jesus
- Those looking for comfort, calm and peace
- Families who wish to pray devotions together
The prayers, reflections and Bible verses in this book are accompanied by stunning illustrations, making this treasure a beautiful gift or keepsake. As you pray Scripture through the holiday season, experience not only God’s answers, but how prayer connects you to God. This can change your heart, and bring peace to one of the year’s celebratory times.
Sarah Young was one of the world’s most successful writers of Christian devotionals, before her death in 2023. She and her husband were missionaries in Japan and Australia for many years, before moving to the USA.
Celebrating Easter Beyond Consumerism
Easter is not about plastic egg hunts, Easter bunnies and roast lamb. It’s about remembering the real reason why Christ was risen (to forgive us of our sins). So that enables us to forgive others, and live in His glory and be influenced by his life. Many people (especially Catholics) use the time before Easter to practice Lent, when you give something up for 40 days.
Of course, the main ‘fast’ was things in the store cupboard, which has how pancakes were invented (on Shrove Tuesday, it was a good way to ‘use everything up’. Try some vegan pancakes!
If you ever get to see it, look online to view the French Canadian film Jesus of Montreal. It’s over 30 years old, but won all the prizes going, back in the day. It’s the simple story of a jobbing actor who is asked by the local priest to update the Passion Play (these are held around the world, with the audience following the actors around as they tell the story of the Jesus being killed and rising again).
Or better yet, find free performances near you.
Easter Recycled Greetings Cards
Recycled paper greetings cards reduce waste, and are far better than paper printed with FSC-paper (which still involves trees being chopped down).
Never sent plantable cards to homes with pets, as many wildflowers are toxic to pets. Daffodils and all bulbs are unsafe to pets, wildlife and livestock.
These watercolour Easter greetings cards are perfect to stock up on, when sending a card at Easter time. They are hand-painted and printed onto eco-fleck card in an A6 size.
The cards are blank inside for your message, and are sold with 100% recycled brown Kraft envelopes. Featuring happy hens and Easter daffodils, the packs contain 1 of each design.
Celebrate an Animal-Kind Easter Sunday!
Rather than buy factory-farmed dairy chocolate or eat cute lambs, try some plant-based recipes, because Jesus was a kind man who loved all creatures!
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets (many foods are unsafe near animal friends). Bin allium scraps (onion, leeks, garlic, shallots, chives) and citrus/tomato/rhubarb scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures. It’s okay to put them in food waste bins (made into biogas).
For tinned foods, fully remove lids (put inside) or pop ring-pulls back over holes (and pinch tops closed) before recycling, to avoid wildlife getting trapped.
Make Your Own Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns are of course an Easter favourite, the ‘cross’ representing the cross that Jesus Christ was crucified on. Easter is then celebrated for His resurrection, though these days it’s more a plastic-filled Easter egg consumer binge.
These vegan hot cross buns (Rainbow Nourishments) are super simple to make, with everyday ingredients and quick yeast. Use vegan butters without palm oil (Flora and Lurpak are two good brands). Contain orange or lemon zest.
Keep fresh dough, citrus and dried fruits/spices away from pets.
Choose Plant-Based Easter Eggs
There are many vegan Easter eggs around these days, just be sure to find ones without palm oil and sold in packaging that can be recycled (at kerbside or at supermarket bag bins). Keep chocolate away from pets.
Happi offers many flavours of oat milk chocolate Easter eggs, including cherry almond and white raspberry. This brand gingerbread.
