NEW YORK — It appears that a second Easter celebration will be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. A new survey finds half of American parents say they want to celebrate Easter with their extended family, but won’t feel comfortable until Grandma and Grandpa receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The survey asked 2,000 American parents of young children (10 years-old and younger) about their Easter traditions and the impact COVID-19 has had on them. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said the best part of Easter is celebrating with their relatives. Unfortunately, things will continue to look a little different this year due to the pandemic.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of HI-CHEW, the survey also finds 81 percent of respondents are keen to find a way to safely bring everyone together to celebrate Easter this year. Over half the poll (53%) are strongly committed to reaching this goal.
Nearly three-quarters of parents also believe public celebrations for Easter will naturally look different in the future. Another 77 percent are excited to use this year as an opportunity to start new traditions with their families.
Many respondents shared they’ll still be celebrating with their families but will be hosting virtual celebrations and Easter egg hunts instead. Other respondents are heading outside to have a picnic at the park, feed ducks, and even fly kites.
Four in 10 respondents are planning to only celebrate this year in their own homes. The top activities families plan to do include the classic Easter egg hunt, eating their favorite candy, dyeing eggs, and taking family photos.
Whether they’re sitting indoors or outdoors, 47 percent of respondents agree the best part of the springtime holiday is the candy. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that some of respondents’ new traditions this Easter will revolve around candy. One respondent shared they’ll be baking an Easter egg cake, filled with candy for their kids. Another parent plans to make their kids’ Easter baskets out of even more candy.
Parents are planning to buy an average of four bags of candy this year and will allow the kiddos to eat 12 pieces of candy on Easter. However, 31 percent plan on allowing their kids to munch on upwards of 15 pieces that Sunday. Seven in 10 parents also said eating candy with their kids is one of their favorite parts of Easter. Half the adults polled plan to keep some for themselves, though, saying they’re likely to hide candy from the kids so they can enjoy it later.
“This past year has shown the importance of carrying on with old family traditions and embracing new ways of celebrating,” says Tatsuya Takamiya, Chief Marketing Officer of Morinaga America, Inc., in a statement. “We’re thrilled that the survey shows that candy continues to be a staple part of the Easter holiday.”
Fifty-nine percent of respondents shared they’ll be celebrating the holiday outside of their home this year. The top Easter destinations include another family member’s home (42%), church (24%), a public park (18%), and a restaurant (14%).
Regardless of how they’re planning to celebrate, the top precautions families are taking to stay safe are frequent hand washing (67%) and masking up (64%). Half of parents also shared they’ll be spending time with their families in an outdoor setting to adhere to social distancing measures.
“Spending time with family is a key part of Easter and we can do so by being creative and staying safe,” Takamiya adds. “With Spring in bloom, everyone can enjoy outdoor gatherings and activities, hopefully, fueled by candy.”