History:
Easter was originally called Pascha. Pascha is a Christian festival and cultural holiday honoring the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter, like Pascha, is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter actually began as a Pagan festival celebrating the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, long before the advent of Christianity. When celebrating it, many people wear fancy clothing to add a touch of whimsy and fun to the holiday.
The Holiday:
Easter originated as an ancient Pagan celebration of the spring equinox. The earliest recorded observance of Easter comes from the 2nd century. The celebration was seen with European settlers, particularly those from England, Germany, and the Netherlands that brought their Easter tradition with them when they immigrated to the United States.
Celebrating Easter:
People celebrate Easter in various ways, including attending church, exchanging gifts, participating in Easter egg hunts, and eating meals with family and friends. Others play Easter games like Easter trivia or spend the afternoon making Easter arts and crafts. Popular crafts that people participate in are dyed eggs and Easter baskets.
Bunnies?
According to ancient times, eggs and rabbits are a symbol of fertility. Spring is a symbol of rebirth. They incorporated the bunny into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honoring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
The Eggs:
In many pre-christian societies, eggs held associations with spring and new life. Christians adapted these beliefs making the eggs a symbol of the resurrection, and the empty shell being a metaphor for Jesus’ tomb. The eggs are said to represent new life and rebirth, like Jesus.
The eggs hide many surprises inside. Parents put chocolate, toys, Play-Doh, mini toy cars, and even money. Children are able to search for the hidden Easter eggs and find what is inside.
Decorating eggs for Easter originally came from traditional Pagan festivities. Decorated eggs were absorbed by the Christians to become their traditional Easter egg. With the advent of Christianity, via a process of religious syncretism, the symbolism of the egg was changed to represent, not nature’s rebirth, but the rebirth of man-kind. The customization of Easter eggs was adopted from Persian Nowruz tradition into the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained them with red coloring “in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion”.
Traditional Easter Foods:
Most people like to cook a classic meal for Easter dinner with the traditional items of eggs, ham, lamb, scalloped potatoes, spring vegetables and their favorite treats and cakes. The most popular dinner people eat on Easter is ham, which is a tradition for many families. This recipe starts with a fully cooked ham and is topped with a mixture of brown sugar, orange marmalade and Dijon mustard to create a tangy glaze. It’s super tender and is usually paired with scalloped potatoes and a variety of veggies.
How I Celebrate Easter:
I celebrate Easter by going to church with my family. After church, we go to my grandma’s house where all my aunts and uncles are with my cousins. When we get there we do a cookout and we spend the time having fun while listening to music. My little cousins are usually running around playing. Later on, the adults will go outside and hide the eggs around the yard for the little ones to find.
Work Cited:
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