FOR SEVERAL YEARS MY FAMILY HAS HOSTED AN EASTER EGG HUNT. WE STARTED DOING THIS SO MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT HAVE TO HUNT EASTER EGGS ALONE AND TO TEACH OTHERS THE TRUE MEANING OF EASTER. I STARTED PLANNING MY 1ST EASTER EGG HUNT THE DAY AFTER EASTER. I WENT TO ALL THE LOCAL STORES AND BOUGHT EVERY PLASTIC EASTER EGG AND ANY OTHER EASTER ITEM ON CLEARENCE.  I PACKED THESE AWAY UNTIL THE NEXT EASTER.  I ALSO PICKED UP THINGS ALL YEAR LONG. ANYTIME SOMETHING IS ON A CLEARENCE TABLE THAT I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD PRIZE I WOULD BUY IT AND PACK IT AWAY.  WHEN THE TIME CAME I MAILED AND HAND DELIVERED INVITATIONS TO EVERYBODY I KNEW. THE INVITATIONS SAID EASTER EGG HUNT FOR CHILDREN UP TO AGE 12 GOSPEL SINGING AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP FOR ALL. THE CHILDREN WERE ASKED TO BRING THEIR EASTER BASKET AND A PACKAGE OF EMPTY PLASTIC EGGS. BEFORE THE EASTER EGG HUNT I WOULD FILL THE EGGS (THAT I HAD PURCHASED) WITH CANDY AND PRIZES. SOME OF THE PRIZES (SUCH AS LIVE BUNNIES)COULD NOT BE PLACED INSIDE THE EGG SO PIECE OF PAPER SAYING WHAT THE PRIZE IS WAS PLACED INSIDE. I ALSO MADE EASTER BASKETS. I USED SOME OF THE TOYS THAT I HAD PURCHASED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY LARGE YARD. I WOULD USE ABOUT 5 ARCRES FOR THE EASTER EGG HUNT.  I WOULD DECORATE THE PARTY AREA WITH POSTER BOARD WITH BIBLE VERSES WRITTEN ON THEM TELLING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. WE WOULD ALSO HAVE 3 LARGES CROSSES IN THE YARD WITH A CROWN OF THORNS ON THE MIDDLE CROSS.  THE MORNING OF THE EASTER EGG HUNT I WOULD GO AHEAD AND HIDE THE EGGS. WHICH WAS USUALLY ABOUT 750 EGGS. WE WOULD HAVE 3 AGE DIVISIONS WITH THIER OWN AREA TO HUNT IN.  AGES 0-4, 5-8, 9-12. AS THE GUEST WOULD START TO ARRIVE THERE WAS A CHECK IN TABLE WHERE THE EMPTY PLASTIC EGGS WERE DROPPED OFF IN A BOX THAT I WOULD LATER PACK THEM AWAY IN TO USE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. EACH GUEST WAS ALSO ASKED TO SIGN IN AND EACH CHILD WAS ASKED TO SIGN IN FOR THEIR AGE DIVISION. AS GUEST WERE ARRIVING AND SIGNING IN WE ENJOYED LIVE GOSPEL MUSIC, FELLWSHIP AND REFRESHMENTS (HOT DOGS, DONUTS, CAN DRINKS). AFTER ALL GUEST ARRIVED AND SIGNED IN THE CHILDREN WERE ASKED TO GATHER AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND THE EASTER STORY WAS TOLD. THEN THE CHILDREN HUNTED EGGS IN THIER AGE APPROPRIATE AREA. AFTER THE EGGS WERE FOUND THE PARENTS WERE ASKED TO COUNT THE EGGS AND TURN IN THE NUMBER OF EGGS THEIR CHILD FOUND AT THE CHECK IN TABLE. AFTER EVERYONE TURNED IN THEIR NUMBER OF EGGS A EASTER BASKET WAS GIVEN AS A PRIZE FOR THE PERSON IN EACH AGE DIVISION THAT FOUND THE MOST EGGS. THERE WAS ALSO A EASTER BASKET GIVEN FOR A PRIZE TO THE PERSON IN EACH AGE DIVISION THAT FOUND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EGGS. FOR ALL OTHER CHILDREN THEY WERE GIVEN A BOOK MARK, PENCIL OR SOMEOTHER PRIZE WITH HE IS RISEN" ON IT. THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON WAS SPENT ENJOYING MORE GOSPEL MUSIC AND CHIRSTIAN FELLOWSHIP. "