Easter: History and Traditions

General Facts about Easter

• Easter, also called Resurrection Day, is celebrated every spring
• Christians celebrate Jesus Christ being raised from the dead on this day, which they consider the most important day of the year
• Some non-Christians celebrate Easter as the beginning of spring
• Many people attend a church service on Easter, regardless of regular attendance
• Easter is a moveable feast, not held on the same date every year
• Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21st, placing it in March or April
• It can occur as early as March 22 and as late as April 25
• Western churches use the Gregorian calendar, while Eastern churches use the Julian calendar, resulting in different Easter dates
• In 2015, Easter was celebrated on April 5 by both Gregorian and Julian calendars
• The English word "Easter" comes from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, whose festival occurred at the vernal equinox
• The French word "Pâcques" comes from the Greek word for Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrated around the same time of year

Significance to Christians

• Jesus died on the cross about 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, Israel
• He was killed because people believed he was causing trouble for the government, and because he was claiming to be the Messiah
• Those who crucified Jesus hung a sign over his head which said, "King of the Jews."
• The day of the crucifixion is known as Good Friday
• The New Testament says that three days after Jesus was killed, He was raised from the tomb
• Jesus later appeared to over 500 people and preached to them
• The resurrection of Jesus is the base of Christianity
• The resurrection made people believe that Jesus is the powerful Son of God and proof that God will judge the world fairly
• Christians believe that God has given them "a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
• Through faith in God, Christians believe they are spiritually made alive with Jesus to lead a new life

Celebrations in Northern Europe and the United States

• Celebrations are related to pagan festivals of ancient Germany
• Children receive baskets filled with candy
• Eggs are decorated and hidden for children to find
• People wear new clothes and go to church
• Greeting cards are exchanged
• An Easter Egg Roll is held on the lawn of the White House on the day after Easter
• Small leafless trees or branches are brought indoors and decorated with colored eggs, paper trims, and lights
• Some shopping malls offer children a chance to visit with a person costumed as the Easter Bunny
• Tulips, hyacinths, and lilies are given as gifts
• Week-long vacations are taken following Easter Day
• Families visit amusement parks or sunny beaches in the south as a vacation
• Spring break for American students usually occurs near Easter

Easter During Difficult Times

• Many people around the world were unable to celebrate Easter in 2020 in the usual way due to the Covid-19 pandemic
• People had to stay away from other people, a time when "social distancing" became common
• Some online communities created "virtual Easter Egg Hunts" in which children decorate their windows and doors with Easter crafts for neighbors to see

Interesting Facts

• Pretzels are associated with Easter because their shape resembles arms folded in prayer
• Americans began eating ham on Easter, because it would cure over the winter and be ready to eat by spring
• Wearing new clothes on Easter came from a superstition that wearing new clothes would bring good luck for the rest of the year
• The first chocolate egg was produced in Bristol, England, in 1873
• Cadbury began making chocolate eggs in 1875 and currently produces 1.5 million creme eggs per day
• Decorating eggs, a way to call out to the gods and goddesses of health and fertility, has been a custom in Ukraine for centuries
• Every year, Americans spend $1.5 billion on Easter candy, 70% of which is chocolate
• Vegreville, Alberta, Canada, is the home of the world's largest Easter egg, which weighs 1,500 pounds
• Since 1878, the President of the United States and his family have held a "White House Easter Egg Roll."