By Kristen Friesen
For The Independent

At first glance, not much. But all, in their own right, are highly regarded icons of Easter. And that is no small thing since Easter is considered the most significant holiday in Christianity worldwide.

Easter stems from pagan and religious roots

The celebration of Christ's resurrection can be traced back as far as the second century. Ironically, the name "Easter" is far from Christian in its origin. In fact, there remains debate over which of the following three pagan goddesses it is named for: Eastre, Aurora or Eos.

So, with all the smooth moves of a modern-day politician, Bede, an eighth-century English Christian monk, wrote the following: "Eostur-month, which is now interpreted as the paschal month, was formerly named after the goddess Eostre, and has given its name to the festival." Voila! Everyone is happy.

But alas, anyone who's had a roomful of relatives for Easter brunch knows that pleasing everyone is never that simple. So it should be no surprise the dispute over when to observe Easter began early and was formerly revisited at a summit in Syria as recently as 1997.

Of course, nothing was set in stone and so Eastern Christianity continues by the Julian calendar and Western Christianity uses the Gregorian calendar. But this we can count on: by both calendars Easter is considered a moveable feast following the cycle of the moon, landing it somewhere between late March and early May.

The Jewish Passover plays a significant role in positioning Easter on the calendar because it is assumed by most of Christendom that the Last Supper of Christ was a Passover meal. Such timeliness would place Christ's death at the same time as the slaughter of the Passover lamb.

In some languages Easter is referred to as Pascha, a name derived from the Hebrew word "Pesach," meaning the festival of Passover. And, according to The Catholic Encyclopedia, "In fact, the Jewish feast was taken over into the Christian Easter celebration."

Easter lilies bring resurrection to life

Unarguably the most popular flower of Easter, the lily holds its own where legend and symbolism are concerned. Also called the "white robed apostles of hope," lilies were brought to the United States by a tourist to Japan in 1875 and named for the florist who made them popular. And selling them was not difficult. People found the flowers to be nearly as beautiful as the legend that Christ's shed blood falling to the earth miraculously produced them.

The flowers that had become synonymous with Easter soon dominated the U.S. export market. But when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 it was cut off as a source for the bulbs.

Fortunately, U.S. production was possible thanks to a World War I soldier, Louis Houghton, who had brought a suitcase full of bulbs stateside in 1919. As the value of lilies sky-rocketed, many Americans who grew the flowers as a hobby went into business. Today home-grown lilies are the leaders of the pack for quality, overall health and beauty.

Physically, lilies are a representation of new life and hope. Their color (white) portrays purity. Their bulbs, which lie beneath the ground, represent the tomb. Their fragrance symbolizes Christ's resurrection. And the flowers themselves depict Gabriel's trumpet call to rebirth and new life.

Eggs and the bunnies which lay them

Colored eggs seem to play a part in the festivities worldwide in some way or another.

In Belgium and France it is said the Easter bells bring Easter eggs. In Finland, Sweden and Denmark old Orthodox tradition mixes painted eggs, pussy willows and children dressed as witches going door-to-door for candy (sound familiar?). British people keep it simple and exchange chocolate eggs. Greeks dye their eggs red to symbolize Christ's blood and green to symbolize new growth after a dead winter. And Central Europe takes the cake for general rowdiness as men playfully spank women to preserve their beauty during the entire next year, and women reward this behavior with colored eggs and money.

Remember our pagan goddess Eostre? Popular folklore claims she once saved a bird by turning it into a rabbit after its wings had been frozen by winter's cold. Because it had previously been a bird, the rabbit was able to lay eggs. Such a creature became the ancestor to Europe's Easter Hare.

In the 18th century, German settlers in America believed in a white hare which would bring brightly colored eggs to well-behaved children on Easter morning. So, the night before, hopeful children built nests of leaves and sticks or left their caps and bonnets out in the garden. (Does this remind anyone of "stockings hung by the chimney with care"?) By the 19th century, the Easter Hare had become the American version of the Easter Bunny who leaves children baskets filled with eggs, candy and gifts.

Easter bonnets top it off

The tradition of the Easter bonnet did not seem so foreign at a time when wearing a hat to church or even just shopping was customary. But, even then, Easter bonnets got special attention. Because they were likely the first hat worn post-Lent they were often "over the top" an utter celebration of spring.

Grand Island resident Amy Exstrum is a throwback in that she has always admired and collected hats. She recalls a photo from her childhood in the early 1960s taken while shopping in downtown Grand Junction with her mother and grandmother and in which she's wearing not only a hat, but also little white gloves.

"That was just normal then," she said.

Now Exstrum saves her hats for church. Her favorite Easter hat is one she ordered from Especially Yours a Magazine of Hair and Fashion for Black Women. "It's lavender and very Eastery," she said. "When I don't wear a hat to church the older men say, 'Where's your hat?'"

Room for fun and faith in one basket

Though Easter, like Christmas, combines Christianity with traditionally pagan ritual, few seem to mind. Baskets, brunches, colorful eggs and candy will start the day for non-religious and faithful alike. And Easter lilies will indiscriminately find their way to homes of loved ones, grave sites and churches.

Lora Quandt, director of children's ministries at Third City Christian Church, is responsible for the church's annual Easter egg hunt which has grown over the years to bring in around 400 people. After the hunt Quandt takes time to share "the real reason Easter is celebrated" at Third City. And she does so by using visual aids such as jelly beans and plastic eggs so the children and parents will have something tangible to remember.

"We can do both a little bit," she said. "To get people and families here whether they are coming for the candy or the hot dog lunch which follows we just feel it's important. Because Easter isn't about candy and the Easter Bunny, as fun as all that is. It's about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and the wonderful news of Easter is His resurrection."

*Some of the history and legend in this story was obtained from the following sources: Wikipedia; www.candyusa.org; www.grandparentsmagazine.net; www.dgreetings.com and the Department of Horticulture at Texas A&M.