Easter is celebrated by Christians to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also a time associated with springtime traditions like coloring eggs, egg hunts, and the Easter Bunny. In the document, the author provides details on the religious origins and traditions of Easter, including how their family celebrates by decorating, dyeing eggs, saying prayers, having a family breakfast with an egg cracking game, and visiting relatives.

1. Easter
b y Va s ilje va Ana s ta s ia

2. E a s te r is th e tim e of s pring tim e fe s tiva ls , a tim e to
we lc o m e b a c k th e Tulips , th e C roc us e s a nd th e
Da ffo dils . Its a tim e of ne w s uits , ne w dre s s e s a nd
pa te nt le a th e r s h oe s . A tim e for C h ris tia n s to c e le b ra te
th e life , de a th a nd re s urre c tion of C h ris t. And a tim e of
chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, and coloured
eggs!

3. When is Easter?
E a s te r is o b s e rve d b y th e c h urc h e s of th e We s t on th e firs t
S unda y following th e full m oon th a t oc c urs on or
following th e s pring e q uinox (Ma rc h 21). E a s te r is a
quot;m ova b le quot; fe a s t wh ic h c a n oc c ur a s e a rly a s Ma rc h 22 or
a s la te a s April 25.

4. The Story of Easter
Th e C h ris tia n c e le b ra tion of E a s te r e m b odie s a num b e r of
c onve rg ing tra ditions with e m ph a s is on th e re la tion of
E a s te r to th e J e wis h fe s tiva l of P a s s ove r, or P e s a c h ,
from wh ic h is de rive d P a s c h , a noth e r na m e us e d b y
E u rope a ns for E a s te r. P a s s ove is a n im porta nt fe a s t in
th e J e wis h c a le nda r wh ic h is c e le b ra te d for 8 da ys a nd
c om m e m ora te s th e flig h t a nd fre e dom of th e Is ra e lite s
from s la ve ry in E g ypt.

5. The Lenten Season
Th e Le nte n S e a s on or Le nt re fe rs to th e forty-da y pe riod
le a ding up to th e h olida y of E a s te r. Le nt b e g ins on As h
We dne s da y, th e s e ve nth We dne s da y b e fore E a s te r, a nd
e nds th e S a turda y b e fore E a s te r S unda y.
Le n t is c ons ide re d a tim e of fa s ting , re pe nta nc e a nd
de e p s oul s e a rc h ing . Th e h e a vine s s of Le nt is lifte d e a c h
S unda y, s inc e S unda y is th e da y on wh ic h J e s us wa s
re s urre c te d a nd is th e re fore c ons ide re d a quot;m iniquot;-E a s te r.

7. Easter Eggs
Of a ll th e s ym b ols a s s oc ia te d with E a s te r th e egg, th e
s ym b ol of fe rtility a nd ne w life , is th e m os t ide ntifia b le .
Th e c us to m s a nd tra ditions of us ing e g g s h a ve b e e n
a s s oc ia te d with E a s te r for c e nturie s .
Orig in a lly E a s te r e g g s we re pa inte d with b rig h t c olours to
re pre s e nt th e s unlig h t of s pring a nd we re us e d in E a s te r-
e g g rolling c on te s ts or g ive n a s g ifts . Afte r th e y we re
c oloure d a nd e tc h e d with va rious de s ig ns th e e g g s we re
e xc h a ng e d b y love rs , m uc h th e s a m e a s va le ntine s .

9. The Origin of the Easter
Bunny
J us t a s S a nta C la u s re pre s e nts C h ris tm a s , a h opping life -
s iz e b unny with a b a s ke t full of c olorful e g g s is th e
q u in te s s e ntia l im a g e of E a s te r.
Th e o rig ina l E a s te r b unny wa s prob a b ly a s s oc ia te d with th e
P a g a n e q uinox fe s tiva l th a t pre da te d E a s te r. Th e S a xons
de vo te d th e m onth of April to c e le b ra ting th e ir g odde s s
of s pring a n d fe rtility, wh o wa s , not c oinc ide nta lly, na m e d
E a s tre . E a s tre 's s a c re d a nim a l wa s th e h a re - not
s urpris ing s inc e th e ra b b it is one of th e m os t c om m on
s ym b ols of fe rtility a nd re b irth .

11. Easter Egg Games
On E a s te r m orning th e c h ildre n of th e h ous e join in a
s e a rc h to lo c a te th e e g g s th a t th e E a s te r B unny h a d
h idd e n wh ile th e y wh e re a s le e p. Th e s e a rc h ing m ig h t
c on tin ue th oug h out th e h ous e with th e olde r c h ildre n
h e lp ing th e young e s t. S om e tim e s priz e s of c a ndy a re
a wa itin g th e c h ild finding th e m os t e g g s .
E a s te r e g g h unts c a n a re a ls o pa rt of a c om m unity's
c e le b ra tion of h olida y. Th e e g g s a re h idde n in pub lic
pla c e s a nd th e c h ildre n of th e c om m unity a re invite d to
find th e e g g s .

12. E a s te r
Is a n im porta nt tim e for fa m ily to m a ke th e ir re la tions h ip
b e tte r. It a ls o g ive s you th e opportunity to ris e you
re lig ious b e lie f.
E a s te r
Is th e tim e to h a ve fun with your fa m ily, a nd e ve n b e lie ve in
m ira c le s .

13. How does our family celebrate
Easter?
In o ur fa m ily E a s te r is c e le b ra te d with joy. Th e da y b e fore
E a s te r p re pa ra tions s ta rt. We dye e g g s , de c ora te our
h o us e with flowe rs , e g g s a nd E a s te r b unnie s . In th e
m orning we s a y to e a c h oth e r re lig ious words in R us s ia n
– “Христос воскрес! Во истину воскрес! “ Wh ic h c a n b e
tra ns la te d in E ng lis h – “C h ris t Ha s R is e n ! Truly a ris e n!”
Th e n we h a ve b re a kfa s t a ll tog e th e r. F irs tly, e a c h pe rs on
m us t c h oos e a n e g g , th e n we h it e a c h oth e rs e g g . Th e
we a ke s t e g g ’s owne r m us t e a t h is e g g .
Th e n, we vis it our re la tive s . Us ua lly we a ll m e e t a t our
g ra ndpa re nt’s s um m e r h ous e . Th e re we a nd pla y
diffe re nt E a s te r g a m e s a nd c ong ra tula te e a c h oth e r on
th is joyful oc c a s ion.