Happy Easter to my fellow non-church going christians.

[Dappleganger]

Happy Easter to the heathens as well. :evilgrin:

We used to be heavily entrenched in the church and its holiday rituals, but this marks the 3rd year of not participating by going to a special building and singing a song or two. We did give the teens some candy (one daughter only wants peeps and a small stuffed bunny each year). Dh made a special breakfast (because everything he does is special, ha!).

It does seem strange still to not get dressed up and go (traditions die hard w/me) but any time spent with the family is worth it. What kind of at-home traditions do you have?

[Turbineguy]

1. St Matthews Passion

Listening right now. 1954 Furtwangler recording.

[Sherman A1]

2. Today is a family gathering in the late afternoon

for Easter and a combo Niece's Birthday. Works out best for all.

I would rather just stay home, but this isn't terrible and the food will be okay.

[PassingFair]

3. Nature Walks and Fertility Rites....A PassingFair Eostre:

-Arise (because the Corgis won't stop WHINING)
-Shower (because of funk from nature walk yesterday)
-Fertility Rite with Mr. PassingFair (because the kids sleep in on Sundays)
-Dig Out Eostre Basket Junk, hastily purchased yesterday before the nature walk
-Fill
-Tell kids (now awake and on-line) that their Eostre Baskets are on the dining room table
-Read posts from some DUers who think that DU is their CHURCH on this day and only positive religious messages should be allowed.
-Figure out which stores are open, because we are out of milk.
-Break elderly aunt out of nursing home for chocolates and dinner
-Final Fertility Rites
-Sleep

[Dappleganger]

4. Ha!

Best reply, ever!

And Corgis are fantastic--all short dogs are (we have dachshunds), but yes they are whiners. Enjoy the day. :)

[PassingFair]

6. You too!

[Taitertots]

5. Didn't you know, now god is going to torture you forever...

All for not listening to his favorite songs and eating magic crackers. Because he loves you.

[a la izquierda]

7. Happy Easter from a lapsed Catholic...

I don't believe in going to church. Jesus did not preach in buildings. I do not need someone to tell me how to be spiritual, or how to believe. I do not need that male-dominated institution, which has been full of corruption for centuries.

The Gospel of St. Thomas, 77 - Jesus said: "I am the light that is over them all. I am the All; the All has come forth from me, and the All has attained unto me. Cleave a (piece of) wood: I am there. Raise up the stone, an ye shall find me there."

[ejpoeta]

10. I never really understood why I needed a middle man when they kept telling me

I was a vessel for jesus or that jesus was inside me. Well if he is inside me, then why do I have to go to church to see him or talk to him? I prefer to go in my backyard and revel in nature and feel the presence of a higher power there.

[a la izquierda]

14. Exactly.

I'd rather go out and enjoy God's creations...

[Dappleganger]

15. +100000

I see him in the eyes of my children, my husband, our furry friends and all of nature.

[eridani]

24. Sounds pretty Taoist to me--betcha Thomas got pretty far east in his travels

Where is the Tao? In urine and excrement. Cleave the rock; there am I.

[butterfly77]

8. My ritual is ...

too watch all of the hypocrite liars,on television and going to church professing about how godly they are, when they hate and do evil deeds daily to their fellow man and woman.

[ejpoeta]

9. i haven't been to church since I was a teenager, and that was not by my choice.

We decorated eggs and the easter bunny hid baskets with a couple chocolate things and some toys in them around the house. Bake a ham... I am making dinner rolls this year and an upside down cake. Little things.

Habit is an interesting thing.... it's like being indoctrinated or something. I still to this day feel funny during lent with regards to the meat on friday thing.... some things never really go away. but it'll get easier.

[blondeatlast]

11. Happy whatevers to whomever, dammit! nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Really. If it weren't for hubby's desire to cook hard boiled eggs I would

have hardly noticed it.

[SheilaT]

13. I will be going to work in a couple of hours.

I'm filling in for a co-worker who would like the day off, and I'm genuinely happy to do so.

I might buy half-priced Easter candy on the way home this evening, or maybe tomorrow.

[Kurmudgeon]

16. Hallelujah! Christ is risen! And same to you! n/m

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Happy Easter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tipsbcfuB4&feature=related

Whether you believe or not, this is a lovely celebration. Nobody can sing quite like King's College Choir.

[patrice]

18. Today, as every/any day . . . Om namah Shivaya!

Which translates, very roughly, I understand, to something like: manifesting (as truly as possible) the "creative":"destructive" essence of the multi-verse.

[K8-EEE]

19. Eggs! (pic!)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37971863@N07/5650629604/" title="Easter Eggs 2011 by topcatlennon, on Flickr"><img src="" width="500" height="375" alt="Easter Eggs 2011"></a>


My kids are teenagers but still love making a big production of dying, decorating, hiding, finding eggs!

We all quit Catholicism in 2004 and none of us miss mass especially Easter mass, always packed to the gills, I remember being slightly resentful that people who never went to church during the regular year were crowding us out ;=) Well so now I enjoy making space for them while we have our Easter brunch!

[xmas74]

21. Not Catholic

but I know what you mean about everyone crowding everyone else out at services. A few years ago we started going to the Sunrise service on Easter. It's so beautiful and peaceful, since it's held on a farm if the weather permits. It's also nearly dead since the twice-a-year attenders wouldn't dream of being at services by six a.m.

[xmas74]

20. Kid seems to have caught a bit of a chill

while at the town Easter egg hunt yesterday. We were up half the night with her coughing and complaining of a sore throat. We slept in instead of attending sunrise Easter service-one of my two favorites to attend every year. (The other is Midnight Christmas service by candlelight. Both are so peaceful and calming.)

Right now she's napping (again-cold medicine knocks her out.) I'm putting the ham in shortly. I've already made the deviled eggs and a couple of salads, along with slicing some strawberries for a shortcake for dessert. She's sleeping with her new stuffed frog. (We have too many chicks, bunnies,ducks, and lambs. This is something new.) She has to save the rest of her basket for when she feels better, since it's stocked with "outdoor" toys. (Bubbles, a new kite, a jump rope, sidewalk chalk, a frisbee, and a new pair of gardening gloves to help with the garden.)

[blueamy66]

22. sports and ham

Did the Stations on the Cross on Good Friday.

[provis99]

23. this atheist says Happy Easter to you, too!