Easter Day

Easter is one of the oldest and most significant Christian holidays. It celebrates the resurrection of Christ, Christians around the world celebrate every year. Easter is also a symbol of rebirth and hope. Easter is on the first Sunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox.

Easter is a Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. It’s said that Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected on the third day. Annual celebration of Easter in the church refers to the first Sunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox, if the full moon day happens to be a Sunday, Easter is postponed for a week. Thus Easter may be between March 22 to April 25.

Typical Easter gift is related with spring and regeneration: eggs, chicks, bunnies, flowers, especially the lily, all of them are symbols of the spring. On Easter Eve, the children dye, or color, and decorate eggs for their friends and families. In the Easter morning, children will find the Easter basket filled with chocolate eggs, Easter bunnies, chicks and toys. It is said that the Easter Bunny will hide the eggs in the grassland or the indoors, and then get the kids to find the eggs. The annual White House Egg Roll is often broadcast live on the television.

In most Western countries, people always hold a grand religious procession at Easter. Marchers always wear a robe, holding a cross. They dressed up as historical figures of Christianity, singing carols to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Today, the festival procession has lost its strong religious overtones. Holiday parade is filled with festive atmosphere, with a strong folk and local characteristics. 

In the United States, the parading procession has clowns on stilts, and the lovely cartoon character Mickey Mouse. 

In the UK, the procession is always with the theme of the local history and customs introduction, the marchers make up the Scotland Pipe Band and the palace guards, attracting many tourists. 

The arrival of Easter also makes people put on new clothes. In the past, Christians always went to the church the baptism before the holiday, and then put on their new gowns to celebrate Christ's new life. The custom of putting on new clothes has been preserved, because people think they will have bad luck in the festival if they don’t wear new clothes. During Easter, people also like to thoroughly clean their own home, which means the new life begins. （www.chinainout.com）