Easter History, Traditions, and Dates

Christian and Pagan Origin of Easter, Colored Eggs, and Baskets

Mar 28, 2009

Religious or not, most people celebrate Easter. Learn about the origin of Easter (rooted in Christianity and Paganism), popular traditions, and dates of Easter Sunday.

Easter is a popular holiday that most people, regardless of their religious background, enjoy celebrating each spring. But there is a lot that you may not know about the origin of the holiday, the source of contemporary Eastertime traditions, and how the date of Easter each year is calculated.

Religious History of Easter

Easter is an important religious holiday in Christianity. It celebrates Jesus' rise from the dead three days after his crucifixion. This rising from the dead is called the resurrection. Christians today celebrate Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday each year. The blooming of flowers and the birth of newborn animals at springtime is thought to symbolize resurrection. The Easter lily is a particularly powerful Christian symbol for the newness of life. Christian churches hold special services on Easter Sunday in remembrance of Jesus' resurrection. Many Christian families have special traditions to help them focus on Christ at Easter.

Pagan Origins of Easter Traditions

Spring celebrations honoring the pagan goddess Eostre had actually been taking place for centuries before Jesus' time. Eostre (also called Ishtar or Oestre) was the goddess of spring and fertility. Eggs, blossoming flowers, and newborn animals all symbolized newness and rebirth, so they often appeared in spring festivals in honor of Eostre. Because of its ability to reproduce so quickly, the hare in particular became a symbol for Eostre.

The early Christians usually celebrated Jesus' resurrection at around the same time that the pagan religions held their spring festivals, and incorporated many of the pagan's traditions and symbols into the holiday's observance. This was generally thought to make Christianity more palatable to the "heathen" in hopes of converting them.

Origin of the Easter Bunny

According to legend, the pagan goddess Eostre took pity on a wounded bird that was no longer able to fly. She transformed it into a white hare (an animal near and dear to her heart) and blessed it with the ability to lay eggs in all the colors of the rainbow, but only one day a year. When the hare later angered the goddess Eostre, she banished it to the stars as the constellation Lepus at the foot of Orion the hunter. The hare was only permitted to return to earth on Eostre's feast day each year to distribute its special eggs to the children.

Tradition of Easter Baskets and Easter Eggs

German immigrants brought the tradition of Easter baskets to America in the 1700s. In Germany children were told to place their Easter bonnets in a secluded place the night before Easter, and if they had been good the "Oschter Haws" would leave colored eggs and treats inside. Once Americans started to practice this tradition, plastic Easter baskets began to be mass manufactured as a substitute for the colorful bonnet.

Easter Holiday Dates

According to the Western calendar, Easter falls on the first Sunday following the full moon on or after the spring equinox on March 21. This means that Easter can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. Here are the dates of Easter Sunday through 2014:

There's a lot more to the Easter holiday than meets the eye. Its history, origins, and traditions stem from the complex interplay of Christian and pagan symbolism that have resulted in the Easter holiday celebrated each spring.

The copyright of the article Easter History, Traditions, and Dates in Ancient History is owned by Jenny Evans. Permission to republish Easter History, Traditions, and Dates in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.