Easter is a universal celebration. There is no place in the world that doesn’t welcome the light and joy it brings. Regardless of cultural background, Easter festivities have been a staple in the lives of many families. What is the true meaning of Easter and why is it celebrated in many different ways? We sat down with some UK Virtual School students and asked them the question: What does Easter mean to you?

Siblings Amira and Cairo excitedly shared how their Easter turned out to be. “Easter means getting a lot of chocolates,” Amira says. She went on to talk about how an Easter bunny showed up to their house! The older sibling recalled how they played rounds and rounds of egg hunting – with tasty goodies and treats as the treasures. This take on Easter is the common modern-day celebration. This year, despite the pandemic, the siblings were able to continue their tradition of egg hunting in the family’s gardens. Lots of eggs and treats!

Siblings Amira and Cairo are dressed up in their matching bunny ears!

Hope from Year 3 proudly talked about her family’s tradition of having this huge easter egg! “It’s been used every year since my mommy was born,” she excitedly shares. It’s a beautiful tradition that has been passed on for many, many years. Truly, that counts as a special celebration!

Hope embraces her family’s traditions.

Ophelia, whose family hails from Greece, shared how they light big candles in Church. She also shared the Greek tradition of Marti bracelets. “You keep them on your wrist and then you cut them off at the end of the month,” she says. Marti bracelets are custom-made with primarily white and red strings to represent purity and passion, respectively. It’s been their tradition to wear this at the beginning of March to welcome Spring, a timely season for Easter.

Ophelia shares a part of her culture.

There are a vast amount of ways to celebrate Easter. It could be honoring one’s culture. A grand homage to a yearly family tradition. Hunting eggs and dressing up in colourful costumes. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how it’s being celebrated. It’s about the good deeds and the joy that comes out of it. Easter is whatever it means to us individually and how it resonates with our lives.

What does Easter mean to you?