Easter

British Council

In the UK， schools close for about two weeks at Easter time. Read on to find out more about how Easter is celebrated in Bri-tain.

What does it mean？

Easter is a spring festival of new life. As a pagan tradition， it is the beginning of growth and new life after the cold， winter months. The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn and spring—Eostre. For Christians， Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter celebrates life and rebirth， which is why we see lots of symbols of new life and fertility at Easter， like eggs， chicks and rabbits.

When is it？

Unlike Christmas， Easter isnt on the same date each year. It takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring.

Chocolate eggs

For most British children， Easter means chocolate Easter eggs. The shops are full of Easter displays decorated with chicks， rabbits and flowers， all with the objective of selling chocolate eggs in huge numbers. Around 90 million chocolate eggs are sold in the UK each year. However， some people believe that too much chocolate is eaten and most doctors would advise people to eat Easter eggs in moderation.

Other traditions

Chocolate is the most popular way to enjoy eggs at Easter. But there are some less sugary traditions， too. Chickens eggs are painted and decorated to give as presents， and eggs are also hidden for children to find as part of an ‘egg hunt.

There are other special foods too. Hot cross buns are typical cakes that are made at Easter time. They are spiced bread rolls with raisins and they always have a cross shape on top.

Activity 1—Vocabulary

Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–d next to the numbers 1–4.

1. ____ huge

2. ____ a chick

3. ____ spring

4. ____ to do something in moderation

a. the season after winter when plants grow again

b. to do something but not do it too much

c. a baby chicken

d. very big

Activity 2—True or false

Are the sentences true or false？

1. Easter is a summer festival. True False

2. The exact date of Easter is different every year. True False

3. Chocolate eggs are extremely popular. True False

4. Doctors say that people should not eat any Easter eggs. True False

5. In an egg hunt， children hide eggs for adults to find. True False

Write about it！

Whats the most important festival in your country？ How do you celebrate it？ Write about it below.

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Answers

Activity 1

1. d; 2. c; 3. a; 4. b

Activity 2

1. False; 2. True; 3. True; 4. False; 5. False