Easter is such a wonderful time of year. It’s spring, there are signs of new life everywhere you look, lots of us have time off work and school, and we feast on chocolate. What’s not to love?

Of course, in an ideal world, we’d be escaping for weekend getaways, or having friends and family round to celebrate, but we can still make it special.

Try these easy ways to up your Easter game…

1. Indulge the kids in a Mini Egg trail

For as long as I can remember, Easter Sunday starts with a Mini Egg trail. For every child in the house, a sweet surprise awaits the second they open their bedroom door. Leave a basket (if you don’t have any, the Olli Ella Mint Piki £34.90, from Jojo Maman Bebe is adorable, or Poundland sell colourful wicker ones for just £1) outside the kids’ rooms and trail miniature chocolate eggs all the way to the kitchen, where any main Easter eggs or presents might be waiting.

You can stick with Cadbury’s Mini Eggs (£4 for 385g, Ocado)- because, let’s face it – they’re the best, or mix it up with foil wrapped chocolate eggs (try Moser Roth Finest Eggs £1.99 for 100g, Aldi) or even teeny tiny eggs – Morrisons‘ Micro Easter Eggs are super-cute, £1 for 90g. You can use any leftovers in Easter baking – Shredded Wheat nest cakes are always fun, or make a batch of Easter biscuits and let little ones go to town on the decoration.

2. Get a wreath

Wreaths were once associated with Christmas, but spring versions are now very much a thing. So much so, in fact, Notonthehighstreet have reported searches for ‘Easter wreaths’ are up a massive 863% year-on-year. And what better way to highlight the new season and bring a little cheer than by hanging one on your front door?

You can splash out on a real ready-made beauty by asking your local florist, make your own from either fresh or dried flowers, or buy a pretty reusable one you can hang up every year. We love ForeverChristmasArt’s Handmade Pine Cone Spring Wreath, £49, from Etsy.

3. Feast

Whether or not you gave something up for Lent, or have been trying to be healthier now salad season is approaching, you are allowed to spend Easter weekend gorging on all your favourite foods. Hot cross buns are available in every flavour under the sun (we especially like the Extremely Chocolatey, Luxury, and Marmite & Cheese varieties from M&S, £1.65 for four or two packs for £2.50, and Aldi’s Cheese & Chilli buns are divine too, £1.09 for four).

Support your local chippy with a treat takeout on Good Friday, or cook up a hearty fish pie or some decadent salmon. And on Easter Sunday itself, get the household together and indulge. The supermarket meal deals keep life easy, cook up your favourite roast dinner, or put on a spread of treats and let everyone dive in. And if you’re on your own – don’t be. Arrange to feast at the same time as a friend and cook along and eat together over  a video chat.

4. Do some making and crafting

Grab some glue, paint and feathers – and anything else you have handy to craft with – then hard boil a few eggs (and cool!), fold some card and get decorating. The kids can create spring themed Easter cards, and you can all have a quiet few minutes delicately painting the eggs.

5. Send an Easter gift or hamper

We might not be able to get together with friends and family, but dropping off some little Easter eggs for the kids, or sending a heartfelt gift or hamper will really lift the spirits.

6. Hunt the eggs

There cannot be enough egg action, so we recommend organising an Easter egg hunt in the afternoon. If the weather’s good, hide the foil-wrapped treats (Morrisons sell an Easter Egg Hunt Kit, £4 for 140g) outside (or non-edible ones that can be reused each year) and write out clues, so the kids have to work out where they are.

7. Pour yourself an Easter gin

After all that hard work, the grown-ups can most definitely treat themselves to an Easter G&T.

Salcombe’s new special edition gin, Easterly (£38, John Lewis), is distilled with cacao nibs, fresh orange peel, almond, coconut and vanilla – and will go down a storm with a twist of flamed orange peel, if you want to make it look fancy.