This morning 3 year old Clayton said, “Today is Easter Day again! It’s Jesus Day Again!” If I were to guess, he was referring to the joy of yesterday and wanting to repeat it. Butterflies. Candy. Egg hunt. Friends.
I can’t help but reflect on how profound that statement is, theologically. Easter is not just one day, it is a season. Resurrection, in the Christian year is celebrated from Easter day all the way to the day of Pentecost (this year on May 17.) Next year, I think I’ll make a resurrection calendar with activities for each day, but here’s a very simple idea: a Family Paschal Candle.
Family Paschal Candle Tradition:
Designed for All Ages
Time Investment: 15 minutes to make the candle + 1 minute each evening from Easter to Pentecost
Materials:
- Thick pillar candle
- Glass jar or bowl
- Symbols of resurrection: butterflies, flowers, or even a peacock (yes, peacock! Peacocks are ancient symbols of eternal life!)
How To
- Place the candle in a jar or bowl and explain to the family that the candle is a special Easter (or Paschal) candle and that it will represent Jesus’ resurrection from Easter day all the way until Pentecost (the day that the Holy Spirit comes to us.)
- Every night at dinner, place the Paschal candle in the center of the table and light it saying these words “We light the Easter candle today because we remember that Easter is not just a day, it’s a whole season. Happy Easter!“
- Continue the practice until the Day of Pentecost, May 24 (don’t worry, there are plenty of Pentecost practices for that day — stay tuned!)
Notes
- Read more about the history of the paschal candle here, if you are interested.
- I was inspired to adapt the Paschal candle activity to families from this article.
Variations
- Light the candle in the morning, at breakfast or at bedtime (any time that there is consistent connection with your family)
- Use a battery operated candle for toddler/baby houses
- Write your own words to say
—
Like this activity? There are 50 more traditions, ceremonies and spiritual practices in my book Seamless Faith: Simple Practices for Daily Life. You can also connect on Facebook and Pinterest where I link to other resources for family faith and spirituality.