But I was asked recently by a Japanese friend what it was about, and why do we have chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies.
Well, like Christmas, the festival has become largely a commercial event these days. But things like the eggs have roots in Christianity and (before that) the time of year.
Today we mostly know Easter as a Christian celebration; or sad day plus a celebration. It marks the time Jesus was crucified (Good Friday) then rose from the dead three days later (Easter Sunday/Easter Day). This is why Easter festivities include crosses, buns with crosses on them, simnel cake* etc. (FYI I think the word 'Good' is an old corrupted version of 'God' - it doesn't mean 'happy'!)
But spring time has also been a big deal for millennia in the West, during Pagan times, and long before Christianity appeared. It is the time when harsh winter is finally over, daylight and sunshine return, animals start breeding, shoots appear, trees regain their leaves and blossom, and conditions are right to sow seeds for the autumn harvest. So spring time always symbolised a return to life. Which coincides pretty well with the messaging for a resurrection!
So Easter eggs symbolise 'new life', which could apply to Jesus, and/or to spring time. For centuries before Lindt, Cadbury's and Suchard, old cultures would gift eggs at this time of year. And about 1000 years ago, people started to decorate them, or their empty shells. For Christians the empty egg shell can also symbolise Christ's empty tomb. Today, people still decorate real eggs. But it's more popular (worldwide) to buy and eat chocolate versions!
Before Christianity, there was also a Pagan festival on the Spring Equinox, for a Goddess named Eostre. (Sound familiar?) Her symbol was apparently the rabbit - the origin of our famous Easter bunny :) In fact, in some cultures, the Easter bunny (which is supposed to bring a gift of eggs to good children) had a role similar to that of Father Christmas/Santa. I think this folk tradition only appeared about 300-400 years ago, however. And I'm not aware of it being a particularly big part of Easter in the UK.
In ancient times, it was common for budding Christianity to take on local, existing Pagan dates and details as a skillful part of its 'change management' practices. And, like Christmas and Halloween, Easter seems to be a mixture of Christian and Pagan. There are apparently even pre-Christian 'resurrection-after-three-days' stories (of different Gods) in Europe and Western Asia, which some believe influenced the detail of the Christian resurrection, when it finally ended up in the Bible.
Cooking special buns for celebrations was also an ancient custom, which got 'upgraded' with Christianity to include a cross for this festival. Other popular Easter symbols like cute Easter chicks, ducklings and lambs, tend to illustrate new life and spring.
Hope that was helpful!
*Simnel Cake
Is a kind of light fruit cake, iced with marzipan. I don't think I've ever eaten this cake, but apparently you slice and then toast it before eating (which tbf doesn't sound that appetising!) But I do remember that the top is decorated with 11 marzipan balls, which symbolise Christ's 12 Disciples from the Bible - without Judas, the traitor. Sometimes there are 12 balls, which include Jesus. It's a traditional thing to eat at Easter time, and you can buy it in UK supermarkets, though it is less popular than chocolate eggs and hot cross buns.
Photo credits: Bunny - easterbunnyeggs.us; Cake - Sainsbury's.
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