Easter

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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• What does Easter celebrate?

Easter is Christianity's most important holiday. It is even more important to the religion than Christmas, which is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

On Easter, they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Resurrection refers to the belief that Jesus Christ came back to life or rose from the dead. Christians believe this resurrection happened three days after his crucifixion on the cross at Calvary in Israel almost 2,000 years ago.

The belief that Jesus Christ was resurrected is the cornerstone of Christianity because it shows a triumph over death and sin itself, making Jesus the Savior of all humanity, which is what Christians believe.

You can check out Holidays: Easter to learn more.

Easter is always celebrated during spring and on a Sunday. However, each year the actual date of Easter on the calendar can change.

For example, Easter was celebrated on the following Sundays.

• March 23, 2008
• April 1, 2018
• April 21, 2020

Although Easter can be as early as March 22 and as late as April 25, it is always celebrated on a Sunday. This is why some people call it Easter Sunday.

How is Easter celebrated?

Christians celebrate Easter in different ways, depending on which country they live in. That's because different countries often have different traditions.

However, no matter what country Easter is celebrated in, worshiping and attending church (or mass) is of the utmost importance and is always a part of this special holiday.

In the United States, some of the main ways Christians celebrate Easter is by attending church, singing hymns, sharing Easter dinner with family and friends, and giving gifts (like Easter lilies or chocolate-covered eggs or Easter bunnies).

In Africa, Easter is celebrated by Christians in similar ways. There is a meal with family, worship in church, singing, and more. You can read Easter In Africa - How We Celebrate It Over Here to learn more.

Maybe you're wondering...what about the Easter bunny and Easter eggs?

For Christians, Easter is much more than baskets of candy, the Easter bunny, and Easter eggs. However, many of them also celebrate with these traditions the same way many non-Christians who celebrate Easter do.

Some of these things we associate with Easter have a fascinating history!

Learn how Easter eggs became a part of the Easter holiday in the following video.

Even these fun Easter traditions enjoyed by many are based on Christian Easter beliefs.

Easter eggs were thought to symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus and were a general symbol for rebirth. Additionally, Easter Egg Rolls (a game where you race rolling eggs) originated as a symbol of the rolling away of the stone from Jesus's tomb.

In the United States, a special event called the White House Easter Egg Roll takes place on the White House lawn every Monday after Easter Sunday. This annual tradition has been happening for more than 100 years! WOW!

While many people celebrate Easter in different ways and for different reasons, Easter is and will always be an important religious holiday for millions of Christians worldwide.

Let's move on to the Got It? section to see what you remember about the Easter holiday!