Join Our Newsletter Stay Up To Date With All Of Our Sites

Easter

The Art of the Easter Egg Hunt

March 23, 2009 by Melissa · 3 Comments 

Easter eggs // Ostereier
Image via Wikipedia

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:X-NONE;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

Do you know there are many different ways to conduct an Easter Egg hunt? As a young child growing up, my parents used to add fun new twists to our Easter Egg hunt each year and some of them have become fond memories. Today, we often do the same with our children as well. If you’re looking for a fun twist for your Easter Egg hunt this year, here are a four great versions we have tried in the past.

The Easter Bible Verse Hunt:

This version works best with older children and teens who can read and decipher clues well. The year that we did this, the older teens were paired up with one of the smaller children. Then, each “team” was given an envelope with a Bible verse in it. The verse was a clue to the location of the first treat and the next clue. After 4-5 clues, the last clue took us to the biggest treat: a large Easter basket for each of us.

Putting together the clues may seem like a lot of work at first, but it’s actually fairly simple. A verse about rocks told us to look in the rock garden. A verse about sleeping would mean to look in your bedroom. If your children are a little younger, you could help by highlighting the portions of the verse that are most important to finding the location.

An Easter Treasure Trail:

This version is perfect for very small children/toddlers. When our eldest was 18 months old, we greeted her on Easter morning at her crib with a basket. Leading from her crib was a trail of mini Easter eggs. She took the basket and followed the trail, putting the eggs in her basket as she went. The trail led through the house and ended behind the couch where a bigger treat was waiting.

When laying out your treasure trail, keep your child’s attention span in mind. Some children will follow the trail for quite a while before getting bored, others may need something shorter or more broken up. Perhaps a series of smaller prizes along the path where they can stop and enjoy if they wish?

An Easter Scavenger Hunt:

A scavenger hunt is another fun variation and it can be modified to suit any age. For older children, a written list of items to collect will work. For younger children, a sheet with pictures of the different treats they need to find may be a better choice. A very simple version would have children look for specific colors: 1 red egg, 3 blue eggs, etc.

For those who, like us, add other items besides chocolate eggs, your list might include a chocolate Easter bunny, a skipping rope, a chocolate bar, a crème egg, a small toy, etc. Items are hidden at random throughout the specified area and make sure children understand not to remove items that are not on their own list.

The Easter Challenge:

The Easter challenge is a fun party game version of an Easter egg hunt that older children and adults will love. Instead of hiding candy eggs, you would hide small plastic eggs. Inside each egg would be a task that has to be completed. Sing a song, recite a verse from memory, jump on one foot for 10 seconds, draw a picture, etc. After each task is completed, the child receives another treat for their basket. Make sure to keep a camera on hand to capture all of the fun.

So, as you’re dyeing your Easter eggs and planning your egg hunt, take one of these suggestions – use as is or improve upon it – and make it a wonderful Easter egg hunt.


Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 
Easter

Easter Eggs – A History

March 23, 2009 by Melissa · 3 Comments 

Easter eggs
Image by jmurawski via Flickr

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:X-NONE;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>


It never fails. Year after year the stores pack their shelves with various items mean to “decorate” an egg. All dressed up for Easter, the plain, white egg you normally have for breakfast or use in your baking becomes a multi-colored, glittery, or tie-dyed work of art.

If you celebrate Easter then you, too, probably purchase dozens of eggs to decorate but do you know why you do it? Is it simply because that’s what your mother did each year because that’s what her mother did? And why does a bunny deliver them?

Though-out history, eggs have been a part of many spring celebrations. Eggs are generally thought of as a symbol of life and Easter is in Spring when new life abounds in the world. The Romans, who believe that “All life comes from an egg” used eggs in their spring festivals and feasts and salted hardboiled eggs were part of Jewish traditions as well.

Pagan beliefs viewed the egg as a sacred symbol and an old fable told of an egg that fell from heaven and hatched the goddess of Fertility, Astarte (Easter) Since then eggs have been found as symbols of new life and fertility in Rome, Northern Europe, China and Japan.

Christians later adopted the use of eggs into their Easter celebrations as the “seed of life” symbolizing Christ’s resurrection. Many different beliefs have been held about the actual use of eggs. It was once believed that eggs laid on Good Friday and cooked on Easter would promote fertility of the trees and crops will protecting against sudden deaths.

Today Easter Eggs have become a central part of Christian Easter celebrations in North America with chocolate Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts and decorating Easter eggs. It is unclear as to the specific reason for decorating eggs, but painted eggs have been part of spring celebrations in many cultures for centuries, each with their own styles and color traditions. Red and version of red have been the most common color in many cultures, symbolizing the blood of Christ.

The most famous Easter egg to date is the first Faberge egg. This small gold egg encased in platinum and enamel was created by Peter Carl Faberge in 1883 as an Easter gift for the Empress Marie of Russia from her husband Tsar Alexander. The egg was gorgeous, and a tradition began with a new egg being designed each Easter. Nicholas II, Alexander’s son, continued this tradition with a total of 57 eggs designed in total.

Today, Easter eggs are generally connected with the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts. The Easter bunny came to be part of Easter tradition because rabbits and hares are known for their ability to produce multiple births and that made them a natural choice for the celebration of spring and new life. For many decades, young children have taken part in Easter egg hunts, searching for colorful eggs laid by the Easter bunny in the grass. Easter egg hunts have become a traditional part of American Easter celebrations, with the Whitehouse and many community churches hosting annual Easter egg hunts each year.


Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Easter

Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio Wed Show

March 18, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

On Today’s show we shared some Easter Recipes, some great stories from our site including one on Customer Service. We also shared HOT TOPICS in the news. Some of the recipes discussed were Breakfast Pizza, Easter Dinner and Dumplings, Strawberry Dream Salad and more!

Be sure to join our show tomorrow where we will discuss great frugal tips for cleaning your home!

icon for podpress  Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio Wed March 18th Show: Download

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Easter

Free Twitter Graphics

January 30, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Heartland Graphics is now offering FREE Twitter Graphics we just added 10 new badges that you can add to your site or blog! All we ask is that you keep our URL on our bages to give credit back to our site! There are Easter and St Patty’s badges too to liven up your Blog or site! Tell your friends and enjoy!

Click here to visit!

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Easter

Melissa

October 11, 2008 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

I am 33 years old and I just celebrated 13 years of marriage with my husband on October 7th. I have 2 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats. I was a stay at home for 12 years and started my site to help friends and family learn how to save money. It was a great hobby for me and it felt great being able to contribute to my family. In 2006 my husband was rushed to the emergency room on Easter morning and was later diagnosed with a Degenerative Disease called “ankylosing spondylitis“. Our life was totally about to change. Since there is no cure for this disease we have spent lots of hours in and out of the hospital, several surgerys and more meds than I can count on my fingers. My once small time hobby of pinching a few pinnies here and cutting a few coupons there turned into a neccessity. The remicade infusions that he takes is $8,000 every 6 weeks. This is just one of his many meds that he takes. Without insurance it would be a scary situation.
This has been a struggle both financially and emotionally for our entire family.But I have a strong christian faith and God has helped us get through this tremendously. He has helped me see that there are many families out there struggling just like us and has blessed me with the ability help teach others about my frugalness. Thats when my hobby became a ministry. In 1996 Morestealsanddeals.com was formed which is now called ConsumerQueen.com. The original purpose of the website was to help other families struggling and in very simular situations like us feel good about being able to contribute so much just by clipping a few coupons..  ConsumerQueen.com has grown extensively over the past 2 years with over 8,000 members across the United States.  While members get great deals and awesome savings on things that their families use everyday, many members “pay it forward” by donating some of the name brand items that they receive for free or at a very low cost to local churches and shelters. ConsumerQueen.com has been and always will be a free site for all whom wish to register.  Deals are broken down by store and explained so people new to couponing and those who have years of experience can all understand every deal.   Every member is encouraged to post deals and to brag about their shopping adventures.ConsumerQueen.com has been and always will be a free site for all whom wish to register.  Deals are broken down by store and explained so people new to couponing and those who have years of experience can all understand every deal.   Every member is encouraged to post deals and to brag about their shopping adventures.I think my eyes were really opened up about couponing the day I walked out of a local Albertsons towing 3 grocery carts behind me that totaled $1880 and I only paid $19. I was able to provide enough groceries for my family and had plenty left over to donate to my church as well as the battered womens shelter. Now this was one of my more extreme shopping trips but i still to this day am able to usualy save 50 to 75% off my grocery bill if not more.
I have been invited to do interviews with serevral local TV stations and newspapers. I currently do “The Deals of the Week” on the Jack and Ron morning show on Kiss 98.9FM every Wed. morning. We are looking to expand our media exposure as we feel the more people we can reach the more people we can help. Its not about how much money “I ” can save its about how many more people can we reach and help? Anyone can be a “Coupon Queen” it just takes a little bit of dedication and self dicipline.
Now that I am working full time I do struggle with not being able to do as much shopping as I use to but feel good knowing that I am still helping others. One day I hope to find a job I can do working from making the same salary I am now and still have the insurance benifits. My dream job would be working face to face with people and doing Consumer promotions in store, online etc. all from the comforts of my home with some travel.
If you are apart of the media and would like to do an interview or if you have a position for my “Dream Job” LOL please feel free to email me at: melissa@consumerqueen.com Below are a few links you may want to check out:
Our Media Page: (Interviews etc):  http://www.consumerqueen.com/?page_id=298
Our You Tube Savings Videos: http://www.youtube.com/consumerqueen
Help Keep our site free by printing your coupons here: http://print.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=13305&zid=pp18&nid=10
We get credit for each coupon printed!
Recipe Submission
  1. (required)
  2. (valid email required)
 

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin