Special holiday traditions are followed in the US when it is the Easter holiday, which falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. While the general reason behind celebrating Easter is to do with the spring season, and remembering the Goddess of Spring, Eastre, there are also other beliefs associated with this holiday.
Holiday Traditions Associated With Easter
For Christians, the day that Jesus Christ was crucified is called Good Friday and the Sunday following this Friday is called Easter Sunday. It is believed that Jesus was resurrected on this day and devotees rejoice this event. For Protestants, the holiday tradition for Easter is a religious service as sunrise.
Egg Hunts
In present times, children love Easter Sunday as it means that when they wake up on Easter morning to candy baskets and Easter eggs decorated gaily. There are egg hunts as part of the holiday traditions and these are both in the house as well as in the neighborhoods. Winners are awarded prizes for finding the hidden eggs.
The Easter Bunny
Another Easter holiday tradition is the Easter Bunny, believed to be a rabbit spirit. Legend has it that rabbits laid eggs in the grass and somehow, this became related to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no specific proof available about why the Easter eggs are colored brightly though, but long, long ago, European countries followed the holiday tradition of coloring eggs for spring festivals. So perhaps it originated and passed on down. These decorated eggs were gifted among people.
Egg Rolling Tradition
Egg rolling is another borrowed holiday tradition associated with Easter and this comes from the British tradition of rolling eggs down hills symbolizing the opening of the tomb from which Jesus Christ was resurrected on Easter Sunday. In the US, the first ever egg roll was organized in the nineteenth century by the fourth American president’s wife in Washington DC. Later, the White House became the venue for this Easter holiday tradition and children aged twelve and less. On Easter Monday, tourists are allowed entry to the lawns of the White House.
Easter Parades
Some people wear new clothes on Easter Sunday and attend church after which they take a walk around the area, which actually developed into the Easter parades all over the US with a lot of people joyfully participating in them. The New York 5th Avenue Easter Parade is a major event. Schools and offices have a federal holiday on Good Friday and over the long weekend; families celebrate Easter Sunday as an important holiday.
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