Tag Archives: Easter

Growing up Catholic, my memories of Easter involve endless Masses and six weeks of Lent. Growing up American, my memories also include baskets of plastic green grass, brightly colored eggs and stale marshmallow creatures. What candy and eggs had to do with the resurrection of Jesus I never figured out. While the exact origins of the holiday are unknown, some believe Easter was derived from the Teutonic goddess Eostre or the pagan Ostara, a celebration of the Spring Equinox. Many of the associated symbols, such as bunnies and eggs, are linked to pagan roots. And what do these symbols represent? Fertility! Didn’t learn that in religion class, did you? In our modern-day American version of the holiday, the Easter Bunny has become as commercial as Santa Claus, delivering sugar-infested treats inside cheap plastic eggs. When you look at it that way, Easter seems to be an evil force against healthy kids … Continue reading →