11 Traditions to add to your Easter celebration

For many, leftover food is a favorite part of any holiday. While Thanksgiving gets all the attention in this category, Easter can share in some of the fun. Once the kids have found all the hard-boiled eggs, teach them how to "repurpose" the eggs into deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches or potato salad.

My "kids" are 19 and 22 years old, and not only do we still do Easter egg hunts, we record them every year and turn the videos into YouTube clips. Watching kids scamper around looking for a large number of chocolate eggs (which they can buy at the store for a few dollars any day of the year) is hilarious. And the older the "kids" get, the funnier it is.

Easter egg hunts are fun for the whole family and a highly anticipated, time-honored tradition for the younger generation. To amp up this cornerstone of Easter tradition, buy a large plastic egg and hide something special in it. You can put a $20 bill in it, or a gift certificate to an amusement park (or something else the whole family can enjoy); or you can put cash or a gift card in the special egg, and the kids can give it to charity.

Easter is a holiday of rebirth and spring goodness. Planting seeds, veggie starts or flowers is a great annual tradition. You can take this idea in lots of directions, but consider planting the favorite plant of a person who has passed. What was Grandma's favorite flower? What did Grandpa eat right out of the garden because he loved it so much? It's an opportunity to make loved ones who are no longer with us an important part of a treasured tradition.

Many kids' holiday traditions are rooted in crafts. During the Christmas season, many families have had to let go of Christmas cards because it is such a busy time of year. By Easter, things feel a little more manageable. Have your kids craft personal Easter greetings to their teachers, grandparents and friends. You can purchase kits from a craft store or just buy the supplies and cut them loose.

Why should Christmas have all the fun when it comes to decorating trees? Easter is about more than just red and green. There are countless options when it comes to decorating an Easter tree — you can buy or craft the decorations, and you can either choose a tree or bush outside that has not yet blossomed or place several sticks in a bucket. Mosey on over to Pinterest for inspiration.

Little girls love, love, love big, frilly Easter dresses. A fun mother/daughter or father/daughter tradition can be shopping for the annual Easter dress. This shopping trip can include a nice lunch, ice cream and, naturally, a quest for the perfect pair of matching shoes. Donating old Easter dresses that your girls have grown out of can be a meaningful part of this annual tradition.

Kids feel tremendous pride when something they have contributed to is prominently displayed in or on the home. You can make a new, inexpensive wreath with the kids each year, or you can start with a wreath that is simply decorated and add to it each year. This idea can be applied to centerpieces for the Easter table too.

This is such a fun idea, especially for the younger crowd. A few days before Easter, "plant" jelly beans all over the yard. Once the Easter chicks are settled in bed for the night, go out to the yard and place lots of lollipops (stick down, obviously) in the ground. Watch your kids' eyes bug out of their wee heads the first time you do this as they think their jelly beans grew into candy.

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Kick your Easter morning off right (and make a landing pad for all that sugar) with a traditional egg casserole. It's impossible to make a bad egg dish — they all taste wonderful. Surf the net for one you think your family will like and assemble it the night before. This is the perfect thing to have on hand if you have guests for Easter. If you're headed out to church on Easter morning, you can stick the egg dish in the oven and set the oven to come on so the dish will be ready when you get home. If you want to get really creative, get a can or two of premade cinnamon rolls and fashion the outer ring of dough into bunny ears. You're welcome.