Why Easter Deserves to Be Your Favorite Holiday

When I ask around about people’s favorite holiday nine times out of ten the response is Christmas. I will occasionally hear Thanksgiving, Independence Day, or even Halloween, but rarely Easter. Yet, this is the one that tops my list, so keep reading and maybe I can help you to give this underappreciated spring day another look.

Why Easter?

Foremost for me is not only what it represents from a Christian standpoint but the universal renewal and rebirth it embodies. There is the changing of the season with the recent warmness in the air. The excitement of shopping for that new short-sleeved Easter dress, pulling out the sandals, and getting a pedicure with a bright “summery” color. Decorations in the soft pastel colors associated with Easter bring a breath of fresh air into my home after a long winter. And there is just something about seeing those Peeps and jellybeans pop up in stores that makes me want to smile, although I eat neither.

As the years go by and the world changes around us so do Easter celebrations. Time marches on and with our children grown up and scattered, how we spend the day will likely vary. There will be times when family is around to share the holiday with us and we will delight in dying eggs and hiding them for the grandkids. Other years it will be just us and we may play a round of golf and dine with friends afterwards. Either way, for me Easter will always be a joyful and uplifting holiday, filled with hope, happiness, and positivity.

Memories

My childhood memories of Easter seem more vivid than any other holiday.  I remember my mom spending weeks sewing matching dresses for my sisters and me which she accessorized with hats, gloves, and purses.  Being polished for Easter was essential and our family gave new meaning to Sunday best. Regular church attendance was spotty in those days so most of my recollections of being there were Easter Sundays.  I would sit next to my Grandpa who always had a piece of Juicy Fruit gum on hand to share. Without fail, he would unwrap it, hand over the gum, and then proceed to make a trophy from the foil by wrapping it around his forefinger.  I was utterly amused by it at the time and grateful to have this special memory since he passed away when I was still young.  With so many sisters in the pews with me, we would inevitably get the giggles as the preacher delivered his sermon and as it goes, the more we knew we shouldn’t be laughing the more we did.  This was Easter for us. Every year we anticipated the Easter Bunny, colored and hunted eggs, and dined on ham, potatoes, strawberry shortcake, and of course, deviled eggs.  

These traditions carried forward when my sons were young and I loved shopping (I didn’t inherit the seamstress gene) for their dapper church clothes and filling their baskets. After church, the cousins all got together to hunt eggs and enjoy the same Easter menus from my childhood. And although these kids would probably tell you their fondest memories are of birthdays, Christmases, or Halloweens past, I will cherish these Easter celebrations forever. 

New Beginnings

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of eternal life as described in the new testament.  For some, it is the celebration of the new life or fresh start they receive when they become Christians. But in any case, the Easter season represents new beginnings, making it a time to reflect on our lives and embrace new opportunities

Easter also celebrates the beginning of the spring season when everything is coming back to life.  Dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground and hibernating animals awake. Some of my favorite flowers including tulips, iris, and daffodils are spring bloomers. While living in colder climates it was comforting to know that no matter what else may be happening in my life, I always had spring to look forward to. And if you ever wondered why bunnies, chicks, and eggs are tied to Easter, it is because they too represent new life.

There you have it – my top reasons for loving this extraordinary holiday. Would you ever consider Easter as your favorite?