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Upcoming Holidays
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Holiday Calendar E-Card Tips/Samples |
Easter E-CardsDon't forget to send Easter E-cards by 4/12/2009. The History of EasterEaster is a Christian celebration to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The name 'Easter' actually evolved from the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian goddess Ishtar and the Anglo-Saxon goddess Ostara. Both goddesses symbolized love, spring, and fertility. Ostara is referred to by the old English word 'Eastre' which later became Easter.Ever wonder why rabbits and eggs are associated with Easter? Both eggs and rabbits symbolize birth and fertility in numerous cultures and there is a legend that the goddess Ostara once turned a bird into a rabbit, which proceeded to lay various colored eggs. The history of Easter eggs was continued when Orthodox Christians colored eggs bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Eggs were forbidden during Lent in Medieval Europe, so when Easter finally came, they were usually a well-accepted gift. Easter egg hunts began in ancient Europe, where eggs were taken from birds nests in order to produce talismans. Eventually, the hunt for real bird eggs was replaced with a hunt for painted eggs. The Easter basket filled with "grass" is intended to resemble a birds nest. Easter is a movable holiday for the Western church and the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the holiday on March 21 every year. The reason for the separation is that the two churches base the formula for calculating the holiday using two different calendar systems.  Easter is the second-highest candy-eating holiday of the year (Halloween is first).
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