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What Would People Think?

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Why Easter Isn't Christmas, Culturally Speaking

Not usually a big fan of Slate magazine, despite the fact that I waste a lot of time reading it. I usually find it too obssessed with the horse-race, meaningless-scandal part of politics, instead of the part where we see how ideas and policies affect our lives.

But, on the religious-cultural commentary front, I found this article fascinating and insightful. It's about why Easter has not been co-opted by the commercial culture in the same way that Christmas has (bunnies and egg hunts notwithstanding).

3 Comments:

  • Do you say "happy" Good Friday? I've never been able to figure that out.

    So, (insert adjective here) Good Friday to you.

    By Blogger Jeff, at 3/21/2008 11:41 AM  

  • Interesting stuff. I think the article is largely right; Christmas is an important Christian holiday, but Easter cuts right to the core of what it is to be Christian, and that's so powerful that it's hard to secularize.

    Jeff - I'd suggest, "happy event necessary for the Resurrection".

    By Blogger Matthew B. Novak, at 3/21/2008 1:04 PM  

  • Was Easter "rescheduled" to coincide with a pagan festival in the same manner as Christmas? That could explain it.

    Basically, though, I think Matt's right. At least we still have Cadbury.

    By Blogger Mike, at 3/21/2008 6:27 PM  

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