Easter Sunday in United States

Many Christians celebrate Easter Sunday in the United States. ©iStockphoto.com/Anna Yu

What do people do?

Most churches hold special services on Easter Sunday, which celebrate the Resurrection of Christ after his Crucifixion. However, for most people Easter Sunday celebrations are more about eggs and rabbits or hares. It is traditional to decorate eggs. These are often hard boiled eggs that can be eaten later, but may also be model eggs made of plastic, chocolate, candy or other materials. It is also very common to organize Easter egg hunts. Eggs of some form are hidden, supposedly by a rabbit or hare. People, especially children, then search for them. In some areas, Easter egg hunts are a popular way for local businesses to promote themselves or may even be organized by churches.

Public life

Easter Sunday is not a federal holiday. Most aspects of public life are not any different to any other Sunday. Public transit systems usually run their regular Sunday schedule.

Background

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 the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Crucifixion is remembered on Good Friday and the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The idea of the Resurrection became joined up with the ideas of re-birth in Pagan beliefs.

Symbols

For people with strong Christian beliefs, the Cross, on which Jesus was crucified, and the Resurrection are important symbols of the period around Easter. Other symbols of Easter include real eggs or eggs manufactured from a range of materials, nests, lambs and rabbits or hares. Sometimes these symbols are combined, for example, in candy models of rabbits with nests full of eggs. Eggs, rabbits, hares and young animals are thought to represent the re-birth and return to fertility of nature in the spring.

Easter Sunday Observances

Related holidays

• Good Friday–Friday, March 21, 2008
• Easter Monday–Monday, March 24, 2008

Other holidays in March 2008 in United States

• International Women's Day (Saturday, March 8, 2008)
• Daylight Saving Time starts (Sunday, March 9, 2008)
• Palm Sunday (Sunday, March 16, 2008)
• St. Patrick's Day (Monday, March 17, 2008)
• Maundy Thursday (Thursday, March 20, 2008)
• Vernal equinox (Thursday, March 20, 2008)
• Prophet's Birthday (Thursday, March 20, 2008)
• Good Friday (Friday, March 21, 2008)
• Purim (Friday, March 21, 2008)
• Holy Saturday (Saturday, March 22, 2008)
• Easter Monday (Monday, March 24, 2008)
• Maryland Day (Tuesday, March 25, 2008)
• Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day (Wednesday, March 26, 2008)
• Cesar Chavez Day (Monday, March 31, 2008)
• Seward's Day (Monday, March 31, 2008)

Other calendars

• Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
• Perpetual monthly calendar - shows only one month at a time
• Custom calendar - make customized calendars

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