Easter in the UK

Chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, bunny decor, those are all signs of one thing: Easter in the UK! The time of the year where the trees are filled with beautiful flowers and the curtains of summer begin to be drawn back as the winter slips away. 

Easter celebrations are different across the world. In this blog I will be highlighting some of the different ways Easter is celebrated in the UK.

Holy Week and Easter Week observed by Christians

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday. This week commemorates the 7 days leading up to Easter. This is a week where Christians engage in activities such as learning more about the biblical stories for each day of Holy Week.

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. It is a bank holiday in the UK – which means amongst other things that there are no university classes and a lot of people will not work.

Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. The following day, Easter Monday, is also a bank holiday in the UK.

Easter Egg hunt 

From Mini Eggs to Maltesers, the supermarket aisles are full of chocolate around Easter time, which are perfect for this tradition. Chocolate eggs – sometimes other chocolate treats too – are hidden and people need to find them.

Easter egg hunts are a popular activity among people of all ages for Easter. Some of the University accommodations host Easter egg hunts with prizes to be won by residents who are able to find the Easter eggs. So keep an eye out for those.

Hot cross buns 

Hot cross buns are a food enjoyed in the UK around the Easter period. This is a bun made with spices - such as nutmeg - and dried fruits - such as raisins. The hot cross buns have a cross on them. It represents the cross which Jesus was crucified on and ties in with the Christian origins of Easter. Hot cross buns are a very popular Easter snack. They are available in most supermarkets at an affordable price. Why not give them a try if you find them?

Easter Sunday lunch  

What a better time to enjoy a roast dinner than during Easter Sunday. Available in some restaurants or to be made at home, the traditional Easter lunch consists of a main of roast lamb or roast ham. It is usually accompanied by the traditional sides of a roast dinner – potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients are readily available in supermarkets however due to the Easter weekend, shop opening hours are affected. So I would recommend purchasing these ingredients before the bank holiday weekend.

I hope that you enjoyed this blog and have learned new interesting facts about Easter and how it is celebrated in the UK. Happy Easter!