Guest article by Alysa Schols
Toward the end of the Lenten season American mothers take a trip down the supermarket candy aisle to stock up on brightly colored, animal shaped marshmallows, chocolate bunnies and pastel sweets. They accumulate candy and gifts to fill Easter baskets for their children as the morning of the Easter Bunny approaches.
For these families Easter also means acquiring chicken eggs, dye and vinegar in order to partake in the tradition of decorating the small, fragile shells with intricate, unique designs.
This American ideal of Easter is far removed from religious tradition. The Easter Bunny and gifting of Easter baskets has become a platform for American capitalism, similar to the exploitation of other holidays, like Christmas. These practices do not support the teachings that come from Easter.
Sarah Pericich, a dedicated Catholic from the area, shared her family’s beliefs and adherence to traditions surrounding Easter.
“I never talked about the Easter Bunny growing up. It’s just a representation of spring and has nothing to do with the actual holiday of Easter. My family didn’t give Easter baskets; we gave each other wrapped gifts. In the Catholic faith, Jesus makes the ultimate sacrifice for his people, and Easter is all about celebrating the passion, so giving gifts is a way to express our love for each other,” Pericich said.
One symbol that has roots in the religious holiday is the decoration of eggs. Easter eggs traditionally represent rebirth and are died red to represent the blood of Christ. They are also a symbol of the empty Tomb of Christ, according to HuffingtonPost.com.
Many overlook the true meaning of the Easter holiday. It celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which took place in the New Testament of the Bible three days after his crucifixion by the Romans. This event shows that Jesus is God’s son and that he was sent by God to live as a human and die for all human sins. He sacrificed so that others would not have to.
The many branches of Christianity celebrate Christ’s sacrifice by dying eggs, attending church services and hosting family meals as a means of appropriate recognition.
“Easter season begins during Lent, when Catholics give up something to honor Christ’s sacrifice. On Easter Sunday we attend Mass where the priest emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice and everlasting love. The most important value of Easter comes from self-reflection, and that’s why we give up something for Lent. It is supposed to cause one to think about what it’s like to not have something or sacrifice for someone else. This allows reflection on your relationship with God,” Pericich said.
The traditional family meals eaten for Easter differ by region and across the branches of Christianity. Pericich shared the process of preparing for a Catholic Italian Easter meal.
“Dinner consists of roasted lamb, stuffed zucchini flower, Italian wedding soup, green beans cooked in lamb bone, rosemary and Parmesan bread and many other dishes. Lamb is the most important aspect of the dinner and takes the longest to prepare; many people give up meat for lent and there is anticipation to be able to eat it again. It takes three days day of cooking with multiple people in the kitchen to make the many foods that fill our table,” Pericich said.
Not all celebrations are complex, but most center on honoring Christ’s sacrifice and spending time with family.
“Easter is about is reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and understanding how it effects us today. It is also important to reflect on the value of loving unconditionally. If you truly love unconditionally you will make that sacrifice for the ones you love, who are often your family,” Pericich said.
