Easter in America: Jesus, Rabbits, Eggs, and Why?

Easter in America: Jesus, Rabbits, Eggs, and Why?

Vocabulary:

Commemorates (verb):

To remember and celebrate a person or event.

• Example: "We commemorate the day America became independent every year on the fourth of July."

Resurrection (noun):

The act of rising from the dead; coming back to life after one has died.

• Example: "Stories of resurrection are found in many different religions."

Mass (noun):

A religious event where people gather together in the Catholic Church.

• Example: "Many people attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve."

Cozy (adjective):

Warm, comfortable, and safe.

• Example: "The cabin was cozy with a fireplace and soft blankets."

Sentiment (noun):

A feeling or emotion.

• Example: "There was a strong sentiment of patriotism and pride in the crowd."

Symbol (noun):

Something that represents something else.

• Example: "A bald eagle is used as a symbol of the USA." or "A flag is a symbol of a country"

Pagan (adjective) comes from Paganism (noun):

Relating to a group of ancient religions that existed before Christianity.

• Example: "Ancient pagan rituals often involved nature worship."

Icon (noun):

A famous symbol of something else.

• Example: "Micheal Jackson was an American icon of pop music in the 1980s."

Host (verb):

To organize and hold an event.

• Example: "The city will host the international film festival next weekend."

Omelette (noun):

A breakfast dish made mostly from mixed eggs and fried with other ingredients.

• Example: "He ordered a cheese omelette for breakfast."

Pastel (adjective):

A category of colors that are soft and pale; not bright.

• Example: "The room was decorated in pastel shades of pink and blue."

Easter in America: Jesus, Rabbits, Eggs, and Why?

What is easter?

Easter is a Christian holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ 3 days after he was killed. It’s a time to celebrate new beginnings, joy, and Jesus' victory of life over death.

Easter in America

In America, Easter is a time of cozy memories and family gatherings. Adults often attend early morning mass, spend the day together, and then enjoy a large early-evening dinner together. And, if you have children, you usually paint eggs with them the night before. But for kids, it’s a day of pure excitement: colorful egg painting, candy-filled baskets, and the thrill of an Easter Bunny egg hunt in the park. It's a blend of religious sentiment for adults and joyful fun for children.

The Easter Bunny

The Easter bunny is a actually not a Christian symbol of Easter at all. Rabbits were a pagan symbol of spring and new beginnings, and was around long before the Easter holiday. Since Easter is a holiday in the spring and is also a symbol of new beginnings, eventually rabbits became the icon of this holiday.

The Eggs

Similarly, the Easter eggs are also quite symbolic in pre-Christian times, representing rebirth and new life. Eventually, just like rabbits, eggs became mixed into Easter celebrations as well, which makes sense because the holiday is focused on the resurrection of Jesus, which can be seen as new life.

Egg Hunts

The first egg hunts were actually for women - and over time, women and children. This was because a woman was the first one to discover the empty tomb of Jesus, and therefore, that Jesus had resurrected. The egg hunts were a way to recreate and share the joy of that discovery, especially with children, who joyfully discover candy-filled eggs hidden throughout a park or field. It is also now a tradition for local parks to host egg hunts where a person in an Easter Bunny costume hides colorful, candy-filled plastic eggs for children to race to find.

The origin of painting eggs

The tradition of painting eggs began by painting the eggs red, which was to symbolize the blood of Jesus, and strengthen the connection between the eggs and his resurrection. Today however, easter eggs are painted in beautiful pastel colors, giving children a chance to be joyfully creative.

 Global Easter Traditions

Easter traditions vary around the world. In Poland, boys playfully throw water on girls on Easter Monday. In Bessières, France, a giant omelette is made with thousands of eggs (approximately 15,000). In Finland, children dress as witches and go door-to-door, asking for candy or small gifts. And in some parts of the world, people engage in egg-rolling contests, where decorated eggs are rolled down hills to see whose egg rolls the farthest.

Reflective Questions:

Do people in your country celebrate easter? What did you know about Easter before reading this article?

What was your favourite holiday as a child? Do you have any special memories of that holiday?

What is a symbol of your country?

What is something that makes you feel comfortable and cozy?

How often do you get together with all of your family?

Have you ever hosted a party or family gathering?