Is there a "right way" to celebrate Easter?
- Rhianna Dankwa
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
Faith, chocolate, or a bank holiday?
Easter is a multifaceted occasion. Conventionally, the holiday is a period of religious observance celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, over half the population hold a secular view of Easter, associating it with spring bank holiday and Easter eggs. With this evolution comes the differing ways to mark the holiday.
Religion
Traditionally, Easter is one of the most significant dates in the Christian calendar. Commonly known as Holy Week, the period celebrates the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The period begins on Palm Sunday, moving into the crucifixion on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Despite a declining church attendance across Britain, special services and the offering of communion invite believers to celebrate the power of light overcoming darkness, and the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice on our lives.
Culture
According to a YouGov survey, 56% of Britons view Easter through a non-religious lens. The celebration fills our bellies with classic delights: hot cross buns, simnel cake, roast lamb, and chocolate eggs. The religious meaning behind these foods can be overshadowed by the colourful adverts encouraging us to buy and share. A hot cross bun is traditionally eaten on Good Friday to remember Jesus’s crucifixion; the 11 marzipan balls on simnel cake represents the eleven remaining faithful apostles after Judas betrayed Jesus; roast lamb mirrors the concept of Jesus being the Lamb of God; and Easter eggs replicate the empty tomb after Jesus rose from the dead.
Bank Holiday
The joy of Easter is often associated with the generous four-day weekend. In such a fast-paced world, the UK bank holiday can’t come sooner for many. Family and friends gather to enjoy an abundance of activities as large as the food on our plates. Towns and villages transform into mazes housing golden eggs, community centres breed paint, glue, and glitter, and luscious green hills bare a new viscous and golden coating. If one chooses to spend their bank holiday up North, they’ll be entertained with the local tradition of Pace Egging. The practice, notably in Lancashire and Yorkshire, involves painting hard-boiled eggs and re-enacting Jesus’ resurrection, as a way to mark the Easter holiday. Moreover, storytelling and choir performances are central to Welsh Holy Week traditions.
Celebrating Easter in the UK is a mixture of faith and festive family fun. The religious concept of renewal anchors the cultural celebrations enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike. The excitement of holiday melts away the UK winter blues and births the joy of Spring centred on family and community. And at a time when conflict and hatred fester, happiness and joy flourish during this special season.
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