Laguna Beach Passover, Easter Celebrations Stay Small In 2021

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — This Easter and Passover, family tables in Laguna Beach may be smaller than usual amid the pandemic. As loved ones wait to be vaccinated and families choose to stay home rather than travel to see one another this spring, many are recreating family traditions established during the year of coronavirus shutdown.

This year Passover takes place from Saturday, March 27 to Sunday, April 4. Easter is Sunday, April 4 as well. Temples and Churches are once again holding services across the county, many Easter services will be held at sunrise or outdoors. But as many Orange County's residents are still awaiting their first or second coronavirus vaccines, making residents take a hard look at how they should gather during these Holy holidays.

According to the CDC and the Orange County Health Care Agency, large gatherings are still not encouraged this spring. Orange County has just moved into the red tier of Gov. Newsom's blueprint for a safer economy, something that the Board of Supervisors to your local city council hopes to keep going. Keeping gatherings small and only interacting with others outside of your family group once you are fully vaccinated is the way to get there, they say.

During the pandemic, many families got used to ordering meals-to-go as part of new traditions in the wake of a surreal time. All bets were off in 2020, as far as spending the day in the kitchen for a holiday meal.

Last year at Easter, our family ordered an in-home delivery service from a local chef. The flavors were fantastic, and the knowledge we supported a local business made us feel all the better for it.

The best part? The price was as much or less than the cost of groceries to create our signature feast for our little six-person family group. Rather than slaving over the stove, I found that the time spent with family was the most valuable commodity of all.

Whether you choose to order to-go from one of Laguna Beach's many restaurants, such as Nirvana Grille, Harvest Laguna Beach or order a family feast from a grocery chain, you can still find those time-honored family favorites are must-haves.

We found traditional fare available to order at Gelson's Laguna Beach.

Gelson's Passover meals for four include Traditional Beef Brisket, BBQ Chicken, Lemon Herb Chicken and No Salt Chicken, all served with sides of matzo balls with chicken broth, tzimmes, charoset, potato kugel, chopped beef liver with egg and gefilte fish with horseradish.

For Easter dinner, Gelson's offers main courses of ham, turkey, prime rib, or brisket with all the trimmings, such as mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, cornbread stuffing, mushroom and beef gravy, horseradish sauce and butter flake dinner rolls.

Passover and Easter orders can be placed now through April 2nd.

For a full list of Spring holiday selections and to place all pre-orders, go to Gelson's Deli and Catering Online.

Find your local Gelson’s in Laguna Beach, at 30922 Coast Highway.
In South Orange County, locate your nearest Gelson's at:

• Laguna Beach
• Dana Point
• Rancho Mission Viejo
• Irvine
• Newport Beach