Hamiltonians embrace non-traditional Easter celebrations

Three people dropped off Easter candy at Alison Pipe's home after she took to social media saying she couldn't get out to buy any for her two daughters. 

"Does it feel like the holidays? Yeah ... it does," Pipe said, adding that the warmth from her community has made the holiday feel special, despite the unusual circumstances. 

"People are so intent on making sure that life goes on for the little people." 

Like Pipe's family, many others across Hamilton are spending the holidays together, but apart during COVID-19.

With churches closed and family gatherings cancelled, people are finding creative ways to follow tradition while practicing physical distancing. 

Typically, Pipe, 33, spends Easter playing host and worrying about whether the guests are enjoying her food. This year, she said she's happy to slow down and enjoy the time with her daughters. 

"It really takes the pressure off," she said.

Nicole Stone and 26 of her family members have decided to get dressed up and hop on Zoom for Sunday's Easter dinner — something they've never done before. 

"Nobody's really figured out how to take turns talking (on Zoom), so it will be very loud, which is very similar to our get-togethers anyway," Stone said.

Typically, Stone and her children, 6-year-old Hudson and 3-year-old Charlotte, meet up with their family in Toronto for a big dinner and Easter egg hunt. 

Though this year is unlike the others, she said it'll be nice to take it easy. 

"I'm having probably the best week out of the four weeks that we've (been home), because I finally have something to look forward to," she said. 

Like others, Stone lost her job and was off work for the first time in 15 years. But the Easter season brought out traditional recipes and new crafts for her and her kids to enjoy. 

Easter church services will also look very different this year.

Esther Hounsell's husband Randy, who is a pastor at a Brampton church, is live-streaming their masses. On Good Friday, 200 people tuned in, Esther said. For Easter Sunday, they're expecting to double that number. 

The Hounsells say they'll miss the part of the Easter mass when the congregation responds, "He (Jesus) is risen indeed."

But Randy found a creative way to ensure that response doesn't get left out. He asked parishioners to submit videos of themselves saying the response, so that he can put together a montage to play during the mass.  

"It's pressing us all to be creative," Esther said. "We want to be safe and we're all having to learn lots of new ways to communicate and engage with each other."