Let’s get down to it, people.

Easter is a time to CELEBRATE!!!!

Like a boss.

The entire Christian faith hinges on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection so Easter is actually the highest liturgy of the year for us Catholics. Jesus accepted and defeated death and because of that, the door is open for us to have eternal life with Him.

That’s no light business. It’s everything.

Easter is one of those awesome celebrations that actually gets an entire octave dedicated to it. Then the season extends for a fully fifty days until Pentacost. For a brief history on how this came to be, read more here.

In this post, I hope to share with you a few ideas of how to get the party started this Easter Octave. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list…your creativity can come up with dozens more ideas I am sure!

So, to fully embrace the Catholic teaching on Easter we should PAR-TAY for eight. solid. days.

I don’t know about you but that’s a church teaching I can get behind.

Dessert

Cookies. Cake. Ice cream.

Make up for the Lenten dessert draught and be sure to load up on the goodies.

Get Active

OK so don’t fall down a mountain.

Get out there and do something active and fun with friends – hiking, soccer, volleyball, or taking a walk. Enjoy the beginning of beautiful weather we start to see across the country during Spring.

Check the Movies

Go to a theater. Rent a classic. Have fun kicking back and getting swept up into a quality cinematic story.

Fun Drinks

If you’re over 21, it’s time to bust out the best margarita recipe you’ve got. If you’re under 21, you’ve still got Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers to enjoy.

Game Night

Invite some friends to play games – Charades. Settlers of Catan. Hearts. Dominion. Apples to Apples. Mario Kart.

Host a Party

Gather up your closest friends and host a party. Make it a theme or keep it low key, just have fun!

Daily Mass

There is no better time to attend daily mass than the Easter Octave. It’s like Sunday mass everyday for eight days in a row!

Uniting with Jesus in the Eucharist the entire octave is an awesome way to celebrate Easter if you can.

Go Dancing

Hit up a local country swing joint or attend a ball room dancing lesson. Hey, you could just throw on some jams in your dorm room and make a party of it.

Local concerts

Who’s playing in your local area Easter week? Might be fun to check out some great music.

BBQ and Lawn Games

Hopefully the weather will be cooperative for you to host a BBQ. Make sure you play all the fun and cheesy yard games – Kubb, Frisbee, Bocce Ball, Croquet, etc.

Special Coffee and Tea

You know that drink from the coffee shop you always want to get but don’t because it’s too special or expensive?

Now is the time to get it and savor every last drop.

Sporting Events

Check out the local sporting events in your area and hit up a game. It’s Easter, so make sure you splurge and get a giant tub of popcorn.