Easter Vocabulary: Learn 15 Words in English About This Christian Holiday
Easter is the main festival of the Christan church. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and people celebrate it all over the world. In this blog post, we will explain the history of Easter, talk about when we celebrate it, and go over the traditions involving this public holiday. Ready to learn more about the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs? Let’s learn some Easter Vocabulary in English!
What is Easter all about?
Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This holiday concludes what we call the Passion of Jesus, a series of events and holidays that begins with Lent and ends with the Holy Week.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, usually in February or early March. The date changes ever year because it is adjusted with a lunar calendar. Lent lasts for 40 days, and it includes fasting (not eating food throughout the day), prayer, and sacrifice. During this period, Christians also limit certain food and do not participate in festivities.
Holy Week is the week before Easter. It includes Holy Thursday, which is the celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his twelve apostles, Good Friday, which marks Jesus’ crucifixion, and Easter Sunday.
When is Easter celebrated?
Easter falls on a different date each year, so we call it a moveable feast. Even though the date is different every year, Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Easter Sunday is commonly celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox. In 2021, Easter Sunday is celebrated on April 4th. Do you have any plans for Easter? Let us know in the comment section below!
Quick tip: is it on Easter or at Easter?
We know prepositions can be tricky. With that in mind, let’s understand what is the right preposition to talk about this holiday.
We say at Easter to talk about the period related to the celebrations of Easter. This may mean multiple days. So, if you want to say that you will travel during this time, for instance, here is the right way to do so:
- I will go to my grandma’s house at Easter.
- I always visit my family at Easter.
You should also know that on Easter is correct in some situations. We would use the preposition on to refer to the exact day of Easter. For example, if you want to talk about your plans for Easter Sunday, here is how you do it:
- I will cook on Easter Sunday.
- My whole family is coming to visit me and my husband on Easter Sunday.
Easter Vocabulary in English
One of the best memories from my childhood is related to Easter egg hunts. However, I never really understood why we go egg-hunting and why we eat so much chocolate during this holiday. Let’s learn more about all Easter traditions together, shall we? Here is some Easter vocabulary in English for you:
Easter Eggs
Eggs represent rebirth and life. That’s why we associate it with Easter and spring. For some people, one of the most common Easter traditions is decorating eggs. According to some sources, decorating eggs dates back to at least the 13th century. One possible explanation is that eggs used to be a forbidden food during Lent, so people decided to paint and decorate them as a way to mark the end of the fasting period and celebrate Easter.
Like I mentioned before, one of the most popular Easter traditions is go egg-hunting. The roots for this tradition aren’t completely clear, but people believe that egg hunts date back to the 1700s. Did you know that the White House, the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States, hosts an annual event the Monday after Easter? Known as the White House Easter Egg Roll, this race makes children push decorated hard-boiled eggs across the White House lawn. The first race occurred in 1878.
Easter Bunny
Just like Easter Eggs, the origins of the Easter Bunny are unclear. However, the rabbit is an ancient symbol of fertility. It is believed that the Easter bunny tradition arrived in the United States with German immigrants who practiced it. The children of those immigrants made nests to lay the colored eggs. Time passed by and the nest has been replaced with decorated baskets and those baskets are now filled with chocolate and candies.
Easter Candy
Did you know the second best-selling candy day in the United States is Easter? Any guess what the most popular candy day is? The candy traditions are very different between these two days.
First of all, chocolate eggs are a classic. According to some surveys, the most popular Easter treat is Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Eggs. And, jelly beans, which are an egg-shaped candy, have also become popular over time. These are the second most popularh candies. The third most popular are Cadbury eggs which may be solid chocolate or filled with some type of sugary deliciousness. So, how much chocolate do you eat at Easter? What is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
We hope this blog post helps you know more about this holiday’s traditions and the history behind it. Now, you have the vocabulary to speak about Easter in English!
Happy Easter and to you and your family!