has to be the real meaning
2007-04-04 04:45:37 · 5 answers · asked by little_bro86 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus
2007-04-04 08:29:58 · answer #1 · answered by teddy bear 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus even though it is said that he was actually born earlier in the year. But the new testament does not give a specific date.Some believe that the celebration was made on the 25th of December as it was thought he died on the 25th of March and a Jewish belief was that a prophet lived for an integral number of years. Although before the birth of Christianity there were other celebrations in winter i.e pagans "Yule", Christmas was not originally pagan it was put to the same date as yule to correspond with it.
Easter celebrates the day when Jesus was resurrected (the Sunday) which was believed to be three days after his crucifixion (good Friday). Though in the roman catholic church it is actually seen as an eight day feast. Even though it is said that easter is derived from Eostremonat (Eosturmonath) (meaning Apri)l and therefore linked with the Goddess Eostre, the etymology has been disputed and scholars have even suggested that the goddess (whether fabricated or not) was actually named after the month not the other way around. Some Christians won't celebrate Easter as they believe it has been tainted by paganism and idolatry. Other cases of false etymology are those that alledge it as a babylonian festival. The easter bunny is thought of as a folklore mythology and is a creature to give gifts to children, much like santa clause though it can also be an expression of life in spring time. As for easter eggs the greeks typically dye eggs red (blood colour) to represent renewal of life at spring time and also the blood of the sacrificed Christ. It is thought that Mary Magdalene gave the emperor of rome a red egg after the ascension of Christ. Though both the bunny and the egg are age old fertility symbols, eggs at easter have many origins including the celebration of the end of lent (eggs are forbidden during lent). And even their links to fertility does not mean they are just connected to paganism. Jewish traditions of hard cooked eggs with salt for flavouring may come back to roman spring feasts.
2007-04-04 06:59:53 · answer #2 · answered by April G 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yule is the celebration of light in the darkest time of the year. We feast and dance and laugh in the face of death and darkness. We give gifts to celebrate our togetherness and community. We have a festival of lights to celebrate the pending return of the Sun, the conquering of light over darkness. The evergreen, the only plant that could survive the harsh Northern winters, is a symbol of everlasting life.
These things are universal human concepts that don’t belong to any one religion. I think this is okay, because the point of the celebrations is to take the darkest, coldest, hardest, dreariest time of year, and celebrate light, life, hope, joy, giving, caring, and togetherness.
Regarding Easter, Rabbits and eggs are both symbols of the fertility goddess Eostre/Ishtar/Ostara. Her symbol is also the moon, in which some cultures see a rabbit instead of a face. Eggs also symbolize the moon and are the ultimate symbol of creation and new life. The basket is a symbol of the womb in which this new life is carried.
The feast day is pagan and was widely celebrated way before the time of Jesus. Like pretty much all holidays, it was adopted by Christians to help get more converts. However, since the point is to celebrate new life and the hope of continuance, Christian symbols of a Resurrection day and the old pagan symbols mean the same thing. Just like Christmas, we are all celebrating the same thing, just using different symbols.
2007-04-04 06:55:29 · answer #3 · answered by KC 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christmas originated from practices that were displayed in worshiping pagan gods in Rome and Egypt. After those two empires were no more, the practices were transformed into what it is today and is even different in other lands.
Easter is a representaion of again worshiping the pagan Roman god of fertility. That's why it involes eggs. The bunny is to say to be that god idolized. Yes they have different meanings today but that was the strat of them.
2007-04-04 05:06:09 · answer #4 · answered by sean07502 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In Easter we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the day he open the gates of heaven for us. In Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. These are the true meanings of this holidays.
2007-04-04 05:12:09 · answer #5 · answered by #1 Cubs Fan 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋