Easter has always been my favorite holiday. It is two things that I love, getting dressed and getting candy. We would usually spend it with my Grandma Butcher and my Aunt Hazel. Aunt Hazel didn’t have kids, so she spoiled us rotten. She also loved any reason to celebrate. I would typically get so much candy when we arrived that I would have a stomachache by Saturday.So there is the candy, then of course the outfits. My mom always made a big deal out of our Easter outfits. It was a trip to the mall and as you can assume, I love shopping.I also just love a reason to celebrate. To dress up, spend time with family, go to church, and have a big meal that lasts for hours. I loved that it was an event. It seems that people don’t celebrate as much as they use to in general.

These days it is hard to, but doesn’t that make it even more of a reason to?I mean get out that china, set that table like your mom or grandma used to. Make all the things you loved having growing up and decorate those eggs. If Easter isn’t something you celebrate, you can still decide to make it a special day. You can bring back old traditions or start some new ones.My Grandmother always made us wear an Easter flower, an orchid of course. I did it a few times when my daughter was little, but then I stopped. Well, it is coming back this year and I am getting one for myself.

I was talking to Maura of Monday’s Child and we wanted to encourage everyone to dress up and celebrate. We called on some of our other favorites: 529 Kids Consign, Mint Condition, Periwinkle, and Bishop, and we are doing what we do best— a contest. Well, really two contests. One will be for the" best Easter past photo" and the other for the "best dressed family" (we want to see your Easter baskets and tables, too) on Easter Day.

The winners will receive a $50 gift card from each participating store, so that is two grand prizes of $300 in gift cards. It's easy to enter, just post your photos with the hashtag #hoptoit April 6 - April 12 .It wouldn’t be fair to make you all share your past Easter photos if we didn’t share some of our photos from Easter past, too: