Easter, March 31, 2013

Easter is one holiday that is hard for me to keep track of when it is occurring. The Easter Sunday date varies because it is determined using a calculated lunar calendar. It is the first Sunday approximately after the first full moon on or after the March equinox. Future Years:  April 20, 2014; April 5, 2015

The real meaning of Easter is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To Christians, it is the most special day of the year. Yes, the birth of Christ is quite important. But, his resurrection offers the hope of everlasting life to everyone! The Lenten season leading up to Easter Sunday is a time of fasting, sacrifice and prayer. It is the Christian way of replicating in a small way what Christ sacrificed for us, both in his fasting and his final death on the cross.

Easter also is celebrated with the Easter Bunny, colored eggs, jelly beans, and lots of chocolate. He (or she, as we are never quite sure about this) comes on Saturday night leading to Easter Sunday morning. He brings lots of chocolates and other candies. That's one meaning to Easter, especially if you are a kid or a "Chocaholic".

There is a famous Easter game called the Easter Egg Hunt. Early morning kids go outside to find the many colored Easter eggs that the Easter bunny has hidden the night before. The Easter Egg Hunt was the first game ever invented. It is said that the reason this tradition started was because of the Easter Bunny dropped the eggs on the way to deliver them and they hide themselves. That is how the Easter Egg Hunt was supposedly invented. For more information see the Easter Egg Hunt page.

Most of us will celebrate both parts of this spring holiday. Upon awakening Easter Sunday morning, the children will hunt for the Easter basket left by the Easter Bunny. Then the family will dress in their finest new spring clothes, and go off to church to celebrate Christ's resurrection. From there, the holiday tradition varies. Some have a big breakfast of brunch feast. Other family will have a big main meal with baked ham being the most common meat. Brightly colored hard boiled eggs will also be popular. It is not a day for high cholesterol diets. It is a day to feast as the long Lenten season is over and Christ has arisen.

In Pagan times, many groups of people organized spring festivals. Many of these celebrated the re-birth of nature, the return the land to fertility and the birth of many young animals. These are the origins of the Easter eggs that we still hunt for and eat.

In Christian times, the spring began to be associated with Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion is remembered on Good Friday and the resurrection is remembered on Easter Sunday. The idea of the resurrection joined with the ideas of re-birth in Pagan beliefs.

Easter also is celebrated with the Easter Bunny, colored eggs, jelly beans, and lots of chocolate. The Easter Bunny comes on Saturday night leading to Easter Sunday morning. That's one meaning to Easter, especially if you are a kid or a "Chocolaholic".

There is a famous Easter game called the Easter Egg Hunt. Early morning kids go outside to find the many colored Easter eggs that the Easter bunny has hidden the night before. It has been said that the Easter Egg Hunt was the first game ever invented.  The reason this tradition started was because of the Easter Bunny dropped the eggs on the way to deliver them and they hide themselves. That is how the Easter Egg Hunt was supposedly invented

Most of us will celebrate both parts of this spring holiday. Upon awakening Easter Sunday morning, the children will hunt for the Easter basket left by the Easter Bunny.  The family will dress in their finest new spring clothes, and go off to church to celebrate Christ's resurrection. The holiday tradition varies. Some have a big breakfast or brunch feast. Other family will have a big main meal with baked ham being the most common meat. Brightly colored hard boiled eggs will also be popular. It is a day to feast as the long Lenten season is over and Christ has arisen.

Easter brings back many great memories growing up in rural Missouri. My sister's birthday actually fell on Easter Sunday when we were both young and it was the neatest birthday party. I remember her having an Easter Egg Hunt theme and Mom even made an Easter Bunny cake. The other great memory was how my grandmother Haynes always worked on an Easter Basket for the both of us. Of course, it was also time for the new Sunday going to church suit that you had to have. Now there are a few photos of these suits that still make me cringe.

Whatever your memories are of past Easter's, may this year be one that brings you more wonderful memories.

Keep Dancin’ Larry B