What is Easter? 

For many, Easter Sunday is a day to get together with family, hunt for Easter eggs and maybe get a visit from the Easter bunny. Your family might share a special meal like roast lamb, or baked treats like hot cross buns. My family celebrates Easter with a lunch where everyone–including my cousins, aunts and uncles–brings a dish to share. For people of different faith backgrounds, Easter is a celebration of springtime. But for Christians like us, the meaning of Easter is much more. 

Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday, is one of the most important holidays in Christianity.  It commemorates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, Easter reminds us of the hope and new life we have in Christ.

Why Does Easter Matter to Christians?

To understand why we celebrate Easter, we have to go back to the beginning. 

Genesis 1 tells us that when God created the world, He made everything good, including the first man and woman. But when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command, they made a way for sin (the breaking of God’s law) and brokenness to enter the world. 

The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and separation from God, and from that point on, everything and everyone would carry the mark of sin. 

But God, being loving and compassionate towards His creation, provided a way to pay the price for the sins of the world. In His love, He sent His own Son, who had never sinned, to the world. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, and He showed us the way God wants us to live. 

But Jesus had a mission. He was to be a sacrifice, given in exchange for the sins of mankind. He was crucified–executed on a wooden cross–by the leaders of the day. When Jesus died, He took our sin, and the death that came with it, upon Himself. 

But Jesus did not remain dead. On the third day after His death by crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead and began appearing to His followers. 

This is the reason we celebrate Easter: because of the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection!

This is great news for everyone who believes in Him because those who do believe receive the promise of everlasting life with God. This special holiday symbolizes victory over sin and death and the promise of eternal life through Jesus. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we who believe in Him carry the hope of life with Him. And that’s something worth celebrating! 

Important Days in the Easter Season 

The Easter season isn’t just a single day—it’s a meaningful journey leading up to Resurrection Sunday. The season begins with Ash Wednesday, moves through Lent, and culminates in Holy Week. While not everyone observes every moment of this season, what matters most is keeping our hearts focused on the reason we celebrate: Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.

Important days leading up to Easter: 

• Ash Wednesday falls 46 days before Easter. It marks the beginning of Lent with a call to repentance, reflection and spiritual renewal.

• Lent (40 Days, not including Sundays) is a season of fasting and prayer that mirrors Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness and prepares believers for Easter.

• Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week–the week before Easter–and celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where crowds welcomed Him with palm branches.

• Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and instituted Communion.

• Good Friday is a solemn day when Christians remember Jesus’ crucifixion and His sacrifice for our redemption.

• Holy Saturday falls on the day before Easter Sunday. It is traditionally a quiet day of waiting and reflection, symbolizing the time Jesus lay in the tomb before His resurrection.

• Easter Sunday is the joyful celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, symbolizing victory over sin and the promise of eternal life. 

Common Easter Symbols and Traditions

As with most holidays, people around the world celebrate Easter in different ways. For many, it’s a day to spend with family and participate in unique traditions. 

For Christians like you and me, attending church services on Easter Sunday is the heart of the holiday.  Church services are a time to honor the resurrection of Jesus. Churches celebrate Easter in different ways, from Orthodox traditions to sunrise services and dramatic retellings of the gospel story. During these services, lighting candles is often part of the experience, symbolizing Christ’s triumph over darkness. I remember the church I attended as a child pulled out all the stops on Easter, from special songs to dramatizations of Jesus’ resurrection. 

Beyond the sanctuary, Easter spills over into colorful customs shared with family and friends. Children eagerly take part in Easter egg hunts, searching for hidden treasures like candy, small toys or brightly decorated eggs. Decorating eggs is another favorite tradition, with families gathering to dye or paint them in festive colors. These eggs, ancient symbols of new life, remind us of the Resurrection and the promise of renewal.

Many children wake up to find Easter baskets filled with treats and surprises. Some families also exchange small gifts with loved ones. In some regions, people decorate Easter bonnets with flowers and ribbons.

Families often celebrate the holiday with a special meal, gathering around foods like ham, lamb, or Easter bread, like hot cross buns. Lamb, in particular, carries deep symbolic meaning to those of us who follow Christ, representing Jesus as the Lamb of God.

Some families plant Easter flowers—like lilies, tulips, or daffodils—as a living reminder of life, growth and new beginnings reflected in both springtime and the Easter holiday. 

All of these symbols and traditions remind us that this is truly a day for celebration. 

Celebrating Easter 

Growing up in a church-going family, I look back on my family’s Easter traditions with gratitude. I remember making a mess with my mother and sister at the kitchen table as we dyed and painted hard-boiled eggs. I recall getting lost in pastel fabric as we shopped for new Easter dresses. Some of my favorite memories involve hunting for eggs with my cousins in my grandfather’s yard, each of us vying for the one with the best prize inside. But most of all, I remember attending Easter church services. 

Even my friends who didn’t attend church regularly often came on Easter Sunday. These services are sacred moments to honor the cornerstone of our faith. For those who don’t follow Jesus, it’s a chance to hear the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—perhaps for the first time.

This is why many Christians use Easter to share the gospel with their friends and loved ones who do not yet follow Jesus–and with good reason! The holiday provides a wonderful opportunity to invite those you know to celebrate and observe Easter traditions while focusing on the true reason behind them. It’s the perfect chance to share the hope we have in Christ with those who still need Him. 

What better time to share our faith than on this day when we remember and celebrate Christ’s resurrection? 

Sharing Your Faith This Easter

The fact that Jesus defeated death and gives us new life in Him is our living hope as Christians. And we are called to proclaim this hope to the world. In fact, the last thing Jesus told His followers before he ascended into heaven was to: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, NIV) 

Fulfilling this Great Commission starts with sharing the gospel. While that may sound intimidating if you have never done it, it doesn’t need to be. There are so many incredible resources that can help you get started. 

The True Story of Easter for Kids: Beyond Eggs and Bunnies 

There are countless resources explaining Easter, its meaning, its origins and the ways people celebrate. This video series provides a kid-friendly explanation of Easter that can be shared with anyone. As you watch each of these short videos, consider how they might be helpful to those looking to dive into Easter’s deeper meaning. 

The Origins of Easter 

When we think about Easter, our minds may turn to bunnies, eggs and lots of chocolate! But Easter is really a worldwide Christian festival, as important to Christians as Christmas. So what are Christians actually celebrating on Easter? 

This episode explores the origins of Easter by going back to the very beginning and discovering Jesus’ mission in coming to Earth.

The Story of Good Friday

“It’s not fair!” are words we’re all familiar with. We want fairness and justice. But possibly the most unfair thing ever to have happened took place on the very first Easter. Jesus was innocent; His friends and even His opponents knew that full well. And yet, Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion—a terrible punishment. 

This episode explores Jesus’s trial for crimes He hadn’t committed and how it all ties into God’s plan to rescue the world from sin. 

The Meaning of The Resurrection

Jesus was dead and buried in a tomb. An enormous stone and Roman soldiers guarded the entrance. But when some of His followers visited the tomb one early morning, something astonishing unfolded. The stone was rolled away, the soldiers gone; an earthquake, angels, and an amazing message! Not everyone likes surprises, but for Christians, this surprise at the heart of Easter is the best news the world has ever heard!

This final episode of the series explores the resurrection of Jesus and the hope that it brings Christians today.

Resources to Help You Share Your Faith This Easter

If you aren’t sure where or how to start telling others about Jesus this Easter, I encourage you to begin by reading up on sharing your faith. This blog is a great starting point. 

You can also check out our collection of Easter-themed short films and videos. These videos, many of which are available in different languages, are meant to help you start and guide conversations about your faith and all link back to the topic of Jesus’ resurrection. 

Did Jesus Defeat Death? is one of our newest short video series, and it centers around the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. The three-part series goes hand-in-hand with the Easter holiday and is available in multiple languages, making it easy to share with someone who doesn’t speak English. 

I pray that wherever you are this Easter, your heart will be filled with joy and gratitude. Jesus is alive, and through Him, we are made new. His resurrection gives us hope both in and beyond this life, and that’s worth celebrating.