5 Things You May Not Know About Easter

Easter Eggs in green grass with sun shining, beautiful Spring day

 

Easter is this Sunday, March 27, and is a holiday celebrated all around the world. There are many things about this holiday that go beyond the chocolate bunnies and egg hunts.

 

Here are 5 interesting facts about Easter

 

Easter Has Been Celebrated for Centuries

Easter is a holiday celebrated in the Christian faith to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The entire week before Easter is known as Holy Week. Beginning with Palm Sunday, Christians celebrate the last week of Jesus’s earthly ministry. Here are the special days celebrated:

  • Palm Sunday – when Jesus entered Jerusalem
  • Maundy Thursday – the Last Supper Jesus had with His disciples
  • Good Friday – when Jesus was crucified on the cross at Calvary
  • Easter – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

 

Empty tomb of resurrected Jesus open to a view of a sunrise and three crosses on a hill

 

Easter Boosts the Economy

WalletHub has analyzed the spending habits of people on Easter and has provided estimates of the spending this Easter 2016:

 

  • The average American will spend $146 on things for Easter (including clothing, food, candy, and gifts)
  • Easter-related spending is expected to reach $17.32 billion this year
  • Over $2 billion is expected to be spent on candy
  • Over $3 billion is expected to be spent on clothing
  • Over $5.5 billion is expected to be spent on food
  • About $2.75 billion is expected to be spent on gifts

 

Eggs in a Basket

It’s not completely clear how eggs became a part of the Easter celebration. In many cultures, eggs represent new life and fertility. For Christians, the eggs represent new life; when an egg is cracked open, it represents the empty tomb of Jesus.

 

Child painting Easter eggs with brush, paint and Easter eggs in basket in background on wooden table

 

In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent (the forty days before Easter) so parents boiled the eggs that were laid and gave them to their children as gifts on Easter.

 

Easter with a Twist

Originally, pretzels were associated with Easter. The twist in the pretzels resembled arms crossed in prayer. At one time, Christians wouldn’t eat dairy or eggs during Lent and pretzels were a treat that could be made without any of those ingredients. In fact, people use to hide the pretzels just as we hide Easter eggs today.

 

It’s the 2nd Biggest Day for Candy

In 2014, Americans consumed $2.26 billion worth of candy. Here are some more astonishing numbers about Easter candy:

  • 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced for Easter every year
  • The most popular non-chocolate Easter candy are Marshmallow Peeps; Americans buy around 700 million Peeps each Easter season
  • If all of the jellybeans eaten at Easter were lined end to end, they would circle the earth almost 3 times

 

chocolate Easter bunny surrounded by colorfully wrapped chocolate eggs and fluffy yellow chick in front of the bunny

 

It’s important to remember your dental health during every holiday, including Easter. The bacteria in your mouth feed on the sugars you eat and produce acids that break down your enamel. This can lead to cavities and tooth decay.

 

Remember to maintain your regular dental routine, including on Easter Sunday; brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and visit your dentist every six months.

 

To schedule a dental appointment, contact Greenspoint Dental in Houston, Texas. We are dedicated to providing you and your loved ones with the best dental care.