Easter, Eastre, Estrus?

On the first Sunday after the first new moon in Spring Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Christ. That holiday (holy day) is called Easter Sunday.

But the word, Easter, is derived from a pagan festival called Eastre that was a celebration of fertility. The word is also related to the term, estrus, which means the time when women and many animals are able to become pregnant.

So what do those things have to do with the Christian holiday?

They're all about new life.

Flowers grow from seeds and bloom, rabbits have lots of babies, and eggs are hard objects that look almost like stones, but chicks and baby birds hatch from them. Flowers, bunnies and eggs are all used to celebrate Easter. I can't think of anything in the natural world that would be better able to represent the idea of Jesus, who was dead, coming to life again.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Hemlines, Etc.

Back in the historic days of my youth hemlines were important.

"What are hemlines?" some of you may ask.

Well, back then women and girls wore dresses and skirts for work, school, social occasions and even shopping trips to cities. Jeans, slacks, pedal pushers, and the like were reserved for things like playtime, picnics, and working in the garden.

And the proper length of the skirts, or hemline, was determined every year by the fashion industry and shown in all the women's magazines and department store windows. Any girl or woman whose dress was too long or short would be embarrassed to be seen in public.

No, I'm not kidding. It actually was socially unacceptable to wear clothes that were out of style. I'm not just talking about school girls making fun of somebody who didn't have what the popular kids did. Even adults looked down on anyone who had clothing that was too long or short.

It's hard for people now to understand what that was like. The closest example I can give is to say it was sort of like being politically incorrect today.

And women and girls who went to church on Easter Sunday, which included nearly everyone who wasn't Jewish or a member of another religion, wore a new dress that day. And, of course, ladies always wore hats to church so they'd have a new one of those on Easter, too.

My mother and everyone I knew would be horrified to know that I plan to wear slacks to church on Easter Sunday, and I won't even wear a hat. How shameful! ;-)

Easter Traditions

When I was a kid we were fairly poor and most of my clothes were hand-me-downs. But every Easter I would have a new dress to wear to church.

Many people know Easter bunnies and eggs come from the ancient Anglo-Saxon religion that celebrated a goddess of Spring named Eastre.

So, what do new clothes, eggs, and rabbits have to do with a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection?

Simple. They all remind us of new life.

Easter Rabbits

Bunnies are a symbol of Easter because they have lots of babies, which symbolizes new life.

What if a rabbit had actually witnessed the resurrection?

Of course it probably wouldn't have thought about it at all and, after a moment of being startled and hiding, simply gone on nibbling on leaves.

But I'm a writer and my imagination can't help picturing the little bunny getting excited and running off to tell all his friends. That might even make a good picture book.

Okay, other writers, if you decide to use that idea please give me credit. :-))

I hope you have a wonderful Easter and even if you don't celebrate that holiday I wish you a happy day.