Happy Easter!
Have you ever wondered why Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th The date for Easter celebration is computed by the church with the help of astrology. It is dependent on the cycle of the moon thus making it a movable celebration. The Vernal or Spring Equinox plays a significant role in Easter as it is the original spring festival that celebrated the return of the sun and the renewal of the earth. In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicaea set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the equinox. In practice, that means that Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon that falls on or after March 21st. So Easter can occur as early as March 22nd and as late as April 25th, depending on when the full moon falls. This year Easter is today, March 27th.
Here are some Easter fun facts:
- The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures.
- After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.
- The first Easter basket was given the appearance of a bird's nest.
- Per the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Easter egg made to date, was just over 25-ft high and was made of chocolate and marshmallow. It weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.
- Eggs, lilies, crosses, bunnies and lambs are the most popular symbols of Easter.
- In the old days pretzels were associated with Easter because the twists of the pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossing in prayer.
- Solving murder mysteries is very popular in Norway during Easter.
- Americans consume over 16 million jellybeans on Easter, enough to circle the globe three times over