Whether Easter is an important religious holiday to you, or just a way to welcome spring and gather with family and friends for a festive meal, here are some ways to celebrate the season without doing harm to chicks, bunnies, or any other living things.

-Instead of dyeing eggs, try creating these colorful paper versions if you want a craft to make with children.

-If you’re interested in recreating the tradition of dyeing eggs, try these ceramic versions from EggNots:

Use natural food coloring such as http://www.colorgarden.net/

-Sponsor a Farm Animal or visit a Farm Sanctuary: http://www.compassionatefarming.org/sanctuaries.html

-Try Chef Nancy Berkoff’s Recipe for Egg-less Vegan Quiche and easy Crisped Rice Eggs using puffed rice cereal and carob for Easter brunch

FAST CRISPED RICE EGGS

(Makes 8-10 small eggs)

¼ cup vegan chocolate or carob chips
2 cups puffed rice cereal
Melt chocolate in a microwave or on the stove. Remove from heat, mix in cereal, and very quickly form into shapes. Store on a parchment- or waxed paper-lined tray.

-Hide plastic eggs stuffed with mini Dandies vegan marshmallows and have an Easter egg hunt! Find Dandies near you: http://dandiesmarshmallows.com/where-to-buy

-Make a cruelty-free Easter basket of goodies for the kids. Fill with stuffed chicks or bunnies, dried fruit and nuts, vegan or spring-themed children’s books, a vegan coloring page, baby carrots (From the Easter bunny!), and stickers. Instead of stuffing with plastic Easter grass, shred colorful sections of the newspaper (like the comics!) or magazines for a fun grass-like filling. Annie’s vegan fruit snacks, shaped like bunnies, have never been more appropriate!

-Find Sweet and Sarah vegan, non-GMO, Kosher marshmallow bunnies and chicks near you: http://sweetandsara.com/where-to-buy/

-See a list of some companies who make vegan Easter candy here: http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/04/11/vegan-easter-candy/