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How do you celebrate in Spring?
It isn’t just Easter which is celebrated at this time of year — there are several religious festivals and holidays which take place at this time of year. How many of these have you heard of? Do you mark any of these holidays?
Comment on this post to let us know!
RAMADAN
22nd March – 21st April
The date of Ramadan changes every year as it takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. Ramadan is an important festival for Muslims and is part of the remembrance celebrations of when the Prophet Muhammed was first given access to the Qur’an. The whole holiday is about becoming closer to God and has similarities with the Christian holiday of Lent.
While observing Ramadan, Muslims give up bad habits and focus on doing good deeds and helping people in need. They also fast which allows them to empathise with those who are less fortunate and host Iftars, where the community comes together to break their fast.
The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid ul-Fitr or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, a huge celebration where everyone dresses in their best clothes and donates to charity.
PASSOVER
5th April – 12th April
Passover or Pesach is a major Jewish holiday and usually takes place around the same time as Easter. Unlike Easter though, this holiday celebrates the liberation of the children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses.
According to the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament and the Torah, the Children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for hundreds of years. God promised that they would be freed but the Pharaoh refused leading to God sending ten plagues which only affected Egyptian families. The final plague was known as the Plague of the First Born where an angel came and killed the first-born son of Egyptian families. To keep the Israelites safe, they were given instructions so that the angel would pass over their homes.
During Passover celebrations, homes are cleaned from top to bottom and first-born males celebrate surviving the plague. This is followed by the Seder, a special ritual meal where special cutlery and plates are used and there are certain foods that must be included on the menu.
EASTER
7th – 10th April
Easter is the most common of the holidays celebrated in Spring in the UK. The holiday centres around Easter Sunday, known as Resurrection Sunday which is the day which Christians believe that Jesus returned to life after being crucified. Prior to Easter is Lent, a time of observance and fasting. The final week of Lent is Holy Week and churches celebrate with services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
The story of Easter is that Jesus was resurrected on the third day of his death. In the UK, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are all bank holidays.
The eggs come into it because eggs are symbolic of new life and because they were historically forbidden during Lent, being given out once Holy Week was over. They weren’t always made of chocolate though!
VESAK
5th May
Vesak, or Buddah’s birthday, is a festival hosted by Buddhists that celebrates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. It is a time for reflecting on his teachings and what it means to follow Buddhism.
Unlike some of the other religions mentioned here, Buddhism doesn’t have a single God, but does believe in the teachings of the Buddha, a prince that travelled the world as a homeless holy man.
Depending on where you are, the celebrations around Vesak will change as each culture has their own traditions. Many Buddhists will spend the day at their local temple and reflect by the light of the moon. Families decorate their homes with lanterns and wear white as part of the festivities, as well sending cards and gifts. Many people also celebrate by taking part in Bathing the Buddha, where water is poured over their heads to get rid of negative thoughts.
