Celebrations of Resurrection Sunday
Resurrection, or Easter Sunday, represents the holiest day on the Christian calendar. On this day, the faithful believers celebrate Jesus Christ's rising from the dead after having been crucified for the sins of the world. The methods of rejoicing in Christ's triumphant resurrection vary as widely as the families and cultures if the believers.
Many families, especially in the Protestant faiths, rise early and head off to a Sunrise Service at their churches. Those who choose to start the day this way often claim that it really recalls the arrival of Mary Magdalene and the other women at the tomb of Jesus that first Easter morning when the angels proclaimed His rising. Many churches hold these services outdoors so the people gathered there can appreciate the full beauty of nature as the sun's rising symbolizes for them the resurrection of Christ.
Other families choose instead to arise for a special breakfast before attending traditional Easter services inside the church. No matter which type of worship people like, there is always special music at Easter time, including anthems by the church choir. This music generally has a much more upbeat feel than the hymns sung during the preceding Lenten season since the faithful now can cast off their reflection and repentance as they show full joy in the Resurrection. After the solemnity of Lent, the word "Alleluia," and its original form, "Hallelujah," rise along with Jesus to help us praise the glory of God our Father who caused it all to happen.
Many celebrations of Resurrection Sunday center around food. Some churches host a special breakfast between the Sunrise and regular services of worship. Families, especially those who attend church later in the morning, often gather for special lunches or suppers. Traditionally, after the Lenten discipline of fasting, and for some, eating seafood at least on Fridays to commemorate some of the Apostles having been fishermen, these Easter meals involve meats such as ham or turkey, Larger families generally have a potluck supper where each person brings his or her special side dish or dessert to the house of the host, who provides the meat. Other people may even gather during the day with a group of friends who had given up the same food item for Lent as part of their discipline to collectively break the fast.
Quite often, celebrations of Easter focus on the children, who go hunting for either a basket full of goodies or some eggs. Traditionally, families dyed eggs on Good Friday for the Easter Bunny to hide and the children to find, which some still do, with prizes given to the one who finds the most eggs. However, many families and churches now find it more practical to purchase plastic eggs and fill them with candy or small prizes prior to hiding them. Thus, in a larger egg hunt, such as one held at a church, each child will have some prizes in his or her basket and nobody is cheated out of feeling like a winner. Adults also enjoy these egg hunts or basket hunts as opportunities to either help younger children find eggs or to take special photographs of the youngsters.
Many adults also celebrate the resurrection by giving one another cards and gifts. Chocolate remains a number-one seller for this holiday, but there are many other options. Always observe the intended gift recipients and match the gift to their interests to give something they will truly appreciate. The same goes for matching the words in a card, whether bought in a store, or words added on, to the personality of the recipient. Beautiful cards and handmade artwork depicting the Resurrection or nature scenes with Bible quotations work wonderfully for pastors and church workers, while only the giver's heart can direct him or her to what is appropriate for a friend or family member. For example, a friend who is always there to enjoy life and play like a child would enjoy a basket of eggs filled with his or her favorite chocolates and small toys, while a musician would prefer memory cards for a music player, guitar picks, and novelty paper clips that look like musical symbols.
Like other holidays, Resurrection, or Easter Sunday, carries with it a myriad of celebration opportunities. Many people and families will choose different methods, depending on their own traditions and what they find to be important. In the end, not matter how Christians celebrate the Resurrection, that important thing to keep in mind is that it is the commemoration of the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead to complete the task of saving the world from sin.
