As a child I always looked forward to Easter because of the Easter eggs that my grandma ordered especially for us. She would order them much in advance and would wrap them up beautifully and give them to us on Easter. I would first eat the marzipan pieces inside and would then eat little pieces of the chocolate Easter egg, just so that it would last me a long time. Growing up, I began to realize the real meaning of this festival and today love going to church to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

History of Easter

Easter is a festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which took place on the third day after his crucifixion. It was in the beginning of Christianity that Easter originated. According to an English historian, St. Bede, the origin of Easter is Teutonic mythology. It is thus stated that Easter is derived for the name Eostre, the goddess of spring. The festival of this goddess of spring was celebrated at the vernal equinox; this is the time when the day and nights get an equal share of day.

As time went by, the Christian church changed the pagan festival, which celebrated spring to one which was a celebration of Christ’s resurrection. It was in 325 A.D that the church also changed the date and the festival ceased to be held on the vernal equinox. It was thus decided by the church that Easter would now be celebrated on the first Sunday which came after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox. This is the reason that Easter is celebrated on different dates every year!

Few people are of the idea that Easter is related to the Jewish Passover, a Hebrew celebration. This festival is celebrated to observe the day when the Israelis were free from slavery and a life of bondage after a term of 300 years. Jesus was crucified during the Passover in 30 A.D after which the resurrection took place, 3 days later. Many Christians, especially the ones raised as Jews considered the resurrection of Christ as well as the festival of Easter as a new addition of "Pascha." This information which shows that the Jewish Passover came to be celebrated as Good Friday and Easter. Easter week also known as the Octave of Easter is the first week of the Easter season.

Easter is celebrated on a grand scale in most countries of the world. At this time of the year old customs and traditions are passed on while new ones are also formed.

Easter Traditions

There are different traditions associated with Easter, in many countries Easter is celebrated with baked goods and sweets. Eggs are also hardboiled and dyed. In many homes across the world, families get together at this time of the year to share an elaborate Easter dinner, which consist of breads that are baked and decorated as well as chocolate candies of various sizes and colors. Rabbits have also been associated with Easter traditions for a long time now.

Another Easter tradition is the hot cross bun. According to custom, the eating of the hot cross bun goes back to the pre-Christian times. It was at that time that the pagans offered Zeus, their God, a cake that was in the form of a bull with a cross that represented its horns. Hot cross buns have been made and eaten every Good Friday for centuries now. They were thought to have miraculous curative powers, because of which people baked them on Good Friday and then powdered it to treat different form of illnesses. A few people also hung hot cross buns from their kitchen ceilings in order to protect their households from evil powers in the year that was to follow.

Symbols of Easter

• Easter Eggs and Chicks: Since ancient times, eggs have been used as a symbol of spring. Apart from this an Easter egg is also a symbol of the tomb which Jesus emerged from when He arose again. A symbol of the chick hatching out of the egg stands for re-birth.
• Easter bunny/ Rabbits: In ancient times, the hare or the rabbit was a symbol of abundant new life. This Easter symbol also reminds us of spring. The rabbit was also the favorite animal of Eostre, the spring goddess.
• Easter Lilies: White Easter lilies are used in many Easter services and symbolize the purity of the Virgin Mary. When lilies emerge from the earth in spring, it symbolizes the new life and the resurrection of Christ.
• The Lamb: The lamb symbolizes Jesus, as He was often referred to as the Good Shepherd. In ancient Egypt, Israelites also used the lamb’s blood to save their firstborn.
• Branches of Palm: This is used to symbolize the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. It was on this day that people welcomed him by waving palm branches.
• Candles: A candle provides light in darkness. It is used to symbolize Jesus, who is known as "the eternal light."
• The Butterfly: This Easter symbol is used as a representation of Christ's life.
• Pussy Willows: In countries like England and Russia, pussy willows are especially picked and used to tap each other on the shoulder. This is said to bring good luck.

Easter Facts

• "Pysanka" is the name given to the traditional act of painting eggs.
• The Easter baskets that were first made resembled bird’s nests.
• The first chocolate Easter eggs were made in the early 19th century in Europe. These eggs are still the most popular treats associated with Easter.
• Each year about 90 million Easter Bunnies are made for Easter.
• After Halloween, Easter is the second top-selling confectionary holiday.
• According to Guinness Records, the largest Easter egg was just above 25 feet in height and made of marshmallow and chocolate. The egg was supported by an internal steel frame as it weighed 8,968 lbs.