UpcomingHolidays Easter

By Lilly Iglehart and Kaz Williams (7th grade)

When most people hear the name “Easter”, thoughts of pastel-colored eggs, Easter baskets, chocolate, and more importantly, the Easter Bunny, are surely the first thoughts to come up. But who is the easter bunny, and where did he come from? The Easter bunny, according to some sources, had first arrived in America in 1700 with the German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania. They had brought the amazing tradition known as "Osterhase”, which is where the children created nests where “the Easter Bunny” could lay his eggs. Easter is on different days each year, because of the lunar cycle. This year it is on April 9th, and it is celebrated because it is when Jesus came back alive. Easter was also an ancient pagan holiday celebrating the spring equinox. Easter is also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday. Easter is named after Eostre, who was an anglo-saxon goddess. Many people will decorate eggs by dyeing them, drawing on them, using stickers or glitter, and then hiding them for their children to find. Why eggs? Eggs have been seen as an ancient symbol of fertility, while springtime is considered to bring new life and rebirth. It is believed by Christians and others that Jesus suffered from hanging on a cross and he scraped his raw back up and down on the cross then died.

Easter is very important to Christians because it has to do with Jesus and they love Jesus and also because they think Easter reminds them of the sacrifice that he has made. Some Christians celebrate by going to church, ringing church bells, flowers, and candlelight.

Christians call the day Jesus died “Good Friday” because they believe that it is because Jesus died so the things that everyone has done wrong can be forgiven.