Activity ideas for each day of Holy Week. Simple ways to make this a week your family will remember for a lifetime.
The Importance of Celebrating Holy Week
A couple of years ago, around Easter Season, our church focused a lot on making Holy Week a bigger celebration. In reality, isn’t Easter even more important than Christmas? After all, Christmas exists only to make Easter possible. If Christ never died for us and thus was never resurrected then there would be no reason for Christmas to exist. So why not make Easter as big a celebration as Christmas? Maybe your family already does and you are just looking for Holy Week ideas to add to your arsenal. Or maybe, like me, you have always enjoyed Easter but felt like something was missing. Either way I’m sure you will find some ideas here to make Holy Week with your family more special this year.
We all love Christmas! Doesn’t every kids answer “Christmas!” without hesitation when asked what their favorite holiday is? But, secretly (shh!) Easter has always been my favorite. Possibly because Spring has always been my favorite season. There is something extra special about new life returning to the earth after a long winter. Green grass starting to grow, tiny buds appearing on trees, fresh air, warm sun and baby animals appearing. Plus, pastel colors have always been my favorite!
But I’ve also had more of a struggle in my adult years figuring out how to implement the “true meaning” of Easter. I always found it much harder to believe in the Easter Bunny than Santa and have never felt like that part was all that magical. Last year though, as my family implemented the celebration of Holy Week, Easter truly felt magical. Or rather, I suppose “meaningful” is more fitting, but when done right, meaningful can become magical.
What is Holy Week?
Holy Week is when Christians commemorate the final week of Jesus Christ’s life. While a week is technically 7 days long, Holy Week is more accurately considered 8 days, from Palm Sunday to Easter (or Resurrection) Sunday. Bonus link at bottom of post with ideas for adding a 9th day.
Wondering why you would want to add Holy Week into your Easter Celebrations? Or maybe you already know you want to include it but aren’t sure how?
Below I share each day of Holy Week, what each day commemorates, and links for ideas of songs, scriptures and activities on how you can make each day of Holy Week special in your own home.
Palm Sunday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
Palm Sunday, one week before Easter Sunday, is the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Thus fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. It is the day He officially entered as the Messiah and his followers and believers waved palm branches as he rode into the city. I have written here about ideas and activities for celebrating Palm Sunday.
Temple Monday:
Image Credit : https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
On Monday, the day after Palm Sunday, Jesus cleansed the temple. You can find ideas for learning about this day of Holy Week here.
Teaching Tuesday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
On Tuesday Jesus taught at the temple. Here are some ways my family and I commemorate this day of Holy Week.
Waiting Wednesday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
Wednesday was a day of rest and miracles. This day was like the very last day of calm before the storm. Click here for more on this day.
Passover (Maundy) Thursday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
On Thursday, Jesus taught the Apostles about the Sacrament, washed their feet, suffered in Gethsemane and was betrayed. Ideas for Passover Thursday can be found here.
Fulfillment (Good) Friday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
On Friday, Jesus was tried, beat and crucified. Here are some ways to study this day with your family.
Spirit World Saturday:
This was the day between Jesus’ death and Resurrection. Today, he taught in the Spirit World. In our family, along with reading a few scriptures about this day, we use this day as our more secular Easter celebration. Here are some ideas for how to celebrate the secular traditions of Easter while still keeping with the spirit of the true meaning of Easter.
Easter/Resurrection Sunday:
Image Credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/images?lang=eng
Jesus’ Resurrection. The day that all of Christianity celebrates that because of Him, all will live again. Here I share the ways my family enjoys celebrating this most special of all holidays, including my kids’ most favorite tradition!
Conclusion
Bonus: Preparation Day
If, like me, you get to the end of Holy Week and feel sad that it is all over and want to continue for one more day… the Monday after Easter Sunday can be celebrated as “Preparation Day”. On this day you can celebrate and learn ways to implement what you’ve learned into your lives to be prepared for when the Savior returns again. Keep checking back, as this Holy Week celebration is a work in progress that I will continually be adding to.
In Conclusion
I hope this has given you some helpful ideas of how you can bring joyful reverence and meaningful celebration into your own family as you celebrate Holy Week and the Resurrection of our Savior.
It’s wonderful that Easter is taking its rightful place in the Holiday Hierarchy! Beautiful!