As I am sure many people know, Easter is this weekend. It surprised me actually how quickly and quietly it came up. I come from a small, predominantly Christian town. Easter is a big deal there. The bunny decorations go up, eggs spring up in the lawns, and churches prepare for Holy Week. Yet here, at State College, Easter did not seem as important as it does back home. This is probably because of the greater diversity of Penn State, but nevertheless, it made me think about the holiday, and what it truly meant in society. Obviously, there are two connotations with Easter; the Christian view of Jesus dying on the Cross, and of course, the materialistic societal view of the easter bunny and baskets.
Christianity is where Easter is derived from. The savior, Jesus Christ gave up his life for their sins on Good Friday and rose from the dead three days later, on what became known as Easter. So, for Christians, Easter is not only a day, but a season. It is a solemn time before that Sunday. On Friday, they mourn the loss of Christ, and then on Sunday they celebrate his rising. It is the most important part of the year for Christians. It is a time of rejoicing in the savior and being thankful for his grace.
On the other hand, Easter has become much more secular. Stores start selling candy in bulk as early as they can. Easter baskets and eggs are a must have for the occasion. It has even become like a second Christmas, where children get tangible gifts from their parents. The "Easter bunny" comes in the middle of the night to distribute these gifts. Children also participate in egg hunts and coloring eggs. It is still a time of rejoicing, but not as spiritual as it is material.
So, in the end, what is Easter? Is it a more spiritual holiday, as the Christians believe? Or is it a marketing holiday where you give your children candy and gifts? Neither is wrong necessarily, but both are quite different from each other. However we decide to take it is up to us personally. In any event, Happy Easter to everyone!
While my family members weren't major church goers, they still taken on the Christianity views of religion.Even when we didn't show up to church every Sunday, it just seemed vital to be there for new years, Christmas, and most importantly, Easter. After church we still held our Easter egg hunts, filled with chocolates and money. Because of this, I had always felt confused about the connection of Easter and church, but I know that this is one Easter that I'd rather spend at home with my family.
ReplyDeleteI honestly forgot it was Easter since there were no decorations up. I'm used to religious decorations, though. It's sad how people do only associate holidays with the materialistic view. It creates spirit for children, but sometimes people get too involved in that aspect of it. I never had the "Easter bunny" visit my home, so I cannot really say I miss the decorations. However, anything that brings friends and family together will always get my support.
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