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Easter tends to mean a lot of different things to different people, depending on how they were raised and what traditions their family may or may not have observed. Easter can mean hunting for colorful candy eggs hidden by the Easter bunny, or it might mean having an extravagant meal with friends and family, or it might simply mean a day off work.
Well, nothing.
Christian church traditions associate Easter Sunday with celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the Bible actually says nothing about setting aside an annual observance of this pivotal event in the history of Christianity. For a little more background on the origin of Easter, please see our article, "What are the origins of Easter?".
Basically, the word Easter probably originates from an old word for "east" or the name of a springtime month. Other than a couple sketchy myths about goddesses, there's not much other evidence about the name. Easter happens on a Sunday because the Bible says Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19).
Because Easter has become so entangled with the idea of bunnies and eggs, many Christians believe we should focus more on the reason for the celebration, which is Christ's resurrection, thus calling it "Resurrection Sunday" instead of "Easter Sunday." They feel that it is, at best, kind of silly, at worst, disrespectful, to associate our Savior's return to life with the pastel silliness that is commercialized Easter. But the truth is that how we celebrate Christ's resurrection is a matter of conviction (Romans 14:13-23).
Since the Bible never mentions setting aside a day of celebration for Christ's resurrection, Christians are not required to celebrate Easter Sunday. Of course, there's nothing wrong with celebrating either!
If you do choose to celebrate Easter, just remember: while fun and games are great, they shouldn't distract attention from acknowledging the glorious miracle of Jesus' coming back to life. His resurrection proved that He is indeed God and affirmed that His promises of an eternal home in Heaven can be trusted (1 Corinthians 15:17; Romans 6:4).
If you don't fully understand how Jesus Christ's death and resurrection provided for your eternal salvation, please take a look at this article: What is salvation?
Different Easter Sunday traditions have developed over the years, but the Christian tradition is to spend Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after His sacrificial death on a cross. Jesus' resurrection proved He is God and affirmed His promises of an eternal home in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:17; Romans 6:4), so it is a day worth celebrating! Since the Bible never mentions setting aside a day to celebrate the resurrection, Christians are not required to do so. Whether or not you choose to celebrate Easter and how you decide to spend the day is a matter of conviction (Romans 14:13-23). Whatever you decide, the important part is acknowledging the glorious miracle of Jesus coming back to life.
Cat is the web producer and editor of 412teens.org. She is known as 412teens on the 412teens Discord. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Catiana is not cooking, gardening, or practicing creativity, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, five socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.
