I love this post about the pagan roots of Easter. Most of the Christian holidays have pagan roots and Easter is no exception. As an addition to Witch Mom’s post I would like to add that the goddess Eostre’s feast day was held on the first full moon following the Vernal Equinox. On that day she mated with the solar god conceiving a child that would be born nine months later on the winter solstice, December 21st. Hmmm, interesting. Two of Eostre’s symbols were the hare, for fertility and because ancient people saw a hare in the full moon (image on Witch Mom’s post), and eggs which symbolize the growing of new life.
Here is an article at Mother Earth News about dying eggs naturally. I had a fleeting thought about doing it this year but…. I would love to do it though, maybe we’ll do it tomorrow as that is when we will be having our easter egg hunt at my mom’s place. We always have our hunt at Grandma’s with the cousins (Maddy’s kids).
I have dreams of homesteading sometimes. Then I think, WTF, as if! I’m an Urban Mom after all.
Thinking about Easter and holidays reminds me that I would like to have more ritual in our lives. John and I have been talking about it since before the girls were born. Since I don’t believe in God in the way the big three western religions do, or Gods in the way Hindus do, I need to explore something else. Pagan ceremonies appeal to me because they are nature based. Any ideas would be appreciated. I just have to follow through on them (a shortcoming of mine lately, following through that is).
How do you celebrate Easter?
I’m all about the Easter Bunny….I totally respect the religious background of Easter and Christmas and as a kid I loved going to church and celebrating Palm Sunday and all the other special days, but I’ve become a little more focussed on the ‘family’ ness of these holidays lately….using them all as a great excuse to spend more time with family. We were at my step-mothers club yesterday – face painting, petting zoo, balloon animals – FAMILY. It was great!
Chocolate is always a good way to celebrate anything.
Sarah, I hope you didn’t read this post as a criticism of Christian holidays. It was not meant that way at all. I do admit though I am drawn to pagan celebrations (except for any with live sacrifice). I think that all cultures have resurrection & fertility themed traditions for spring. That is what I find so fascinating about mythology and the history of religion. There are so many common themes.
I certainly respect everyone else’s beliefs (as long as they are not being foisted on others) and enjoy discussions about religion and history.
I’m a Christian, so I think it’s important to make the distinction about WHEN Easter is celebrated by Christians and WHY it’s celebrated.
There is so much debate about how it came about to be celebrated during what was/is widely known as a pagan holiday- I don’t even think any modern day Christians would agree on why our Easter falls when it falls.
What I do know is that Christians know WHY it is celebrated. We know that Jesus came to Earth as a man, although he is God, was crucified (we remember this on “Good Friday”), died and buried, and rose again on the day we call “Easter”. It is a day to thank and honour Jesus for taking the amazing burden of our sins on himself.
So, although the date of our celebration may have pagan roots, the meaning and celebration of the day(s) are certainly anything but…
So interesting! I had no idea that Easter too had roots in a pagan holiday. We are a Muslim family but do celebrate Easter in the form of ….CHOCOLATE!