Easter Origins Pagan Christian or Secular Holiday
Originally, Easter was unquestionably a pagan holiday. This celebration to the goddess Eostar celebrates the fertility in all facets of nature. Did you ever wonder where the Easter Bunny and the egg came from? The Christian church has made plausible explanations for these that work within the story of resurrection, but even now they are obviously forced parallels. Easter is a time when things are made new, and the fertility which brings them about his celebrated. Pagan tradition includes many aspects of the celebration that the Christian church has tried to drown out, as anything that has to do with human fertility and reproduction was considered unholy by many in the early Christian church, as well as some denominations of the Christian church today.
In an attempt to “Christianize” the pagans, Christians should take over many of their traditions and turn their high holy days into Christian holy days. At this point the festival that was previously for the goddess Eostar became about Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. Good Friday became the day on which He was crucified, and Easter became the day of resurrection when Christ came forward from the grave. While this still celebrates the renewal that the pagans originally worked into the cushions, it is done in this sterile, Christian way that does not involve normal reproduction. Today, this is what is celebrated in most Christian churches.
One could definitely argue that Easter is more secular than anything else now. Easter is the day to buy the kids a lot of chocolate, go on Easter egg hunts, and have all sorts of fun presents left by the Easter Bunny. Sometimes kids go to Christian services to teach them about the resurrection, and some even work the Easter egg into the service as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. However, for the most part, just as with Christmas, children generally look at the toy and candy aspect of Easter much more than any old traditions.
The origins of Easter are indisputable, as the pagan traditions existed long before the Christian church. However, the debate can continue as to what Easter means today. As with most holidays, it is undoubtedly on the road to complete secularism, though some of the Christian aspects still survive. Today there are not many that celebrate the pagan side of Easter, though some of the old traditions still survive. The Christian aspect is, perhaps, a transition point for these holidays. Many came from pagan roots, came into the modern age in Christianity, and most are going into the future in secularism.
What the future holds for these holidays remains to be seen, as many try to keep their old, pagan roots alive. On the same token, the Christian church is not likely to let go of these holidays very easily, and may yet find a way to reclaim them for Christianity. Overall, though, nearly every holiday is on an inevitable path to secularism, where it is likely to stay until the culture in which they exist changes.
