Easter arrives Sunday, and with it come many types of celebrations.
Easter to some is a light-hearted, chocolate-egg holiday that offers a great time with family and loved ones.
For others, it is a solemn occasion, where even nods to the Easter Bunny are viewed as offensive.
In Catholic traditions, Easter is a time to reflect on sacrifice and rebirth.
The Lent season before Easter encourages those who observe it to give up different things – foods, habits, behaviors – to connect with Jesus, who fasted for forty days in the desert.
Maia Cook, a junior at Detroit Mercy, describes her Easter as “a time of reflection with family while celebrating Jesus.”
Christians often refer to Easter Sunday as “Resurrection Sunday,” recognizing their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion.
Junior Kameron Chatman recalls fondly the Easters of his childhood.
“Easter is the resurrection of Jesus and the time where your family gets together to celebrate his resurrection,” he said. “Growing up, I remember having family get together, sitting at my aunt’s house eating and having Easter egg hunts all day.”
Early childhood memories of Easter baskets are some of the favorite memories for students, especially for Chea Taylor, a junior at the university.
“The favorite part of Easter for me was spending time with family and receiving Easter baskets from my aunts and uncles,” she said.
