By Sheree Hoddinett
When I was a kid, Easter was all about the chocolate! Who I am kidding?! Even as an adult, it’s still all about the chocolate. Oh and of course the hot cross buns, with jam and cream on top! Now that I have you wishing you had all the chocolate and hot cross buns in front of you, good luck! Then there’s the whole holiday factor. Being able to spend a few days with family and friends and not having to worry about anything other than having a good time, sounds pretty amazing to me.
As a mum to two young ladies who are still at the age of believing (hopefully for just a little bit longer), we’re all about the Easter bunny and chocolate eggs in our house. While they do cover all the other aspects of the meaning behind Easter at their school, we look at the fun and joyous side as well. It’s a great time to have some fun with those we love and it’s also an opportunity for a time of reflection.
While I’m not an overly religious person, I do understand and respect that Easter has a different meaning for many. When it comes to the Easter Bible story – we know that Christmas observes the birth of Jesus – but Easter remembers the main Christian event: Christ's suffering, crucifixion and resurrection. For Christians, Easter is the remembrance of Christ's voluntary death and resurrection to save humankind from sin and death.
So, how do you celebrate Easter? Is it with a family tradition such as going away camping, gathering for a meal, taking part in a big Easter egg hunt or even just relaxing at home? Do you have any family traditions where you put on themed pyjamas, eat special treats or have a movie that is only viewed at this time of year? Do you go anywhere special such as a family member’s house, the beach, a park or maybe a church service?
I have some amazing memories from when I was younger of waking up and finding myself surrounded by the chocolate goods left by the Easter bunny. It still brings a smile to my face now knowing what my parents had done to keep the magic alive. It’s something I endeavour to do for my girls for as long as I possibly can!
Just for some “fun”, I decided to do a little bit of online searching to see what fun facts I could find about Easter and all things it entails:
Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it has no fixed date. Instead, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon (Paschal Full moon) following the March equinox. The date of Easter therefore varies from March 22 to April 25 inclusive.
People started to give chocolate Easter eggs as gifts in the early 1900's.
Cadbury spends 10 months of the year making its 270 million chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies for Easter (this could explain why we see them in the shops so early!!).
To celebrate Easter in Australia, some people eat chocolate bilbies instead of chocolate rabbits.
The Easter bunny also has origins in Germany among German Lutherans who depicted the Easter bunny or hare as a judge who decided whether or not children were well-behaved enough to be rewarded with Easter eggs.
Why is Easter called Easter? According to scholars, this Christian holiday was named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, who was depicted as a Fertility Goddess and a Goddess of Dawn and Light. She was honoured at Pagan festivals celebrating the arrival of spring, further highlighting the blend of Pagan traditions with Christian holidays.
The world’s largest Easter egg weighs in at 5000 pounds and is 31 feet tall and 18 feet wide. It can be found in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada and took 12,000 hours to complete. Named the Vegreville Pysanka, the world’s largest Easter egg is actually more of a jigsaw than a sculpture, as it is made from 3500 pieces of aluminium. Now just imagine that being made of real chocolate (yum!).
However you spend your time over the Easter period, take care, be happy and make the most of the time with your family and friends. From everyone here at The LOCAL, we wish you all a very safe and Happy Easter!
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