Easter has looked odd for a few years now. With COVID-19, big gatherings at church and with family are a thing of the past. As much as people crave traditional celebrations, we are all facing another year of irregular Easter celebrations.

You aren’t alone. The whole world is learning how to be together while other factors keep us apart.

Michael Stockman is one of many young adults reminiscing on the special holiday.

“We used to search for eggs and go to church,” Stockman said. “In a lot of ways, it was like a little Christmas.”

Stockman described the cheery times he had with family and friends celebrating Easter. However, it wasn’t all good times and happy memories.

“My mom made me watch The Passion of the Christ every year and that was really scary for a kid,” Stockman said, “but all of the fun times that day made that worth it.”

Ultimately, Easter had a special place in Stockman’s heart and calendar. That is, until this year. Stockman will be experiencing the holiday in a completely different way.

This Easter Sunday, is in quarantine and won’t be attending any special events.

“I feel like I’ve been robbed this year,” Stockman said.

Although he may be escaping the annual screening of The Passion of the Christ, that also means he will be missing valued time with his family. However, there are silver linings to be had.

For Stockman, the Easter spirit will stick around even if he is sick. Although it’s not the same, his family will be celebrating the occasion later.

When April 17 rolls around, Stockman will be eating Easter egg shaped pasta and making sure to give his parents a call.

Although a lot of us are celebrating differently, taking time to enjoy Easter is incredibly important.

While a chocolate egg every once in a while can do a lot of good for the taste buds, spending some time around messages of hope and new creation is good for the soul.

Time has a thorough article on the subject, diving deep into why a mid-pandemic world needs holidays. In summary, it’s good to take a breather from stressing to focus on a positive side of life.

Celebrating Easter doesn’t have to look identical to events in years past. A family-wide egg hunt and bustling church service isn’t a great idea if you’re health conscious. However, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate the occasion in the safest manner possible.

If you are looking to go see some relatives this year, here is a guide on making sure everything is COVID-friendly. The article discusses the best places to hold celebrations, when to where a mask, and why taking precautions is still a good idea.

If, like Stockman, you have to sit the holiday out, be sure to celebrate in some other way. While you may not have Easter egg shaped pasta, there are plenty of different activities to enjoy.

This article discusses ways to decorate, make gift baskets, and hold virtual parties to make sure Easter is safe to celebrate from home.

Even though Easter might look different for years to come, remember that it is still a special time worth celebrating.