Easter Reflections

This week in the Catholic faith is Holy Week. Easter is approaching this Sunday, and it is interesting to see how another culture and country celebrates this religious holiday. My family’s traditions on Easter usually include attending Church and brunch, dying Easter eggs, eating way too much chocolate, and playing cards or board games. We typically make a really simple dinner of baked ham and cheese sandwiches and deviled eggs. Sometimes, my grandmother will make a pound cake that is in the shape of a lamb—don’t ask me why. It’s a really nice and relaxing day that I get to spend with my family. For the past three years now, I have not been able to spend Easter at home with them. However, I have the opportunity to experience it here in Dublin! For weeks now, Butler’s Chocolate, an amazing chocolate chain-shop here, has been selling chocolate eggs and rabbits. They’re wrapped in pastel springtime colors, but the weather we’ve been experiencing has told a different story. It’s been unbelievably cold and windy the last week or so, and it’s switched from torrential downpours to snow flurries. I’m sure many of you at home are experiencing not so warm weather yourselves. Where is spring?!

Most businesses are closed here on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, and on Easter Sunday. From what some of my Irish friends have been telling me, Dublin basically shuts down and is very quiet. Ireland traditionally has a lot of Catholic influence, and this is evident in the closing down of many businesses over the Easter holidays. I wish it was warmer right now, because more flowers would be in bloom! Even though it wasn’t very warm back home around Easter, I always loved seeing flowers around. It’s one of my favorite things about springtime. Also, I have a few friends visiting me this weekend, and I cannot wait to show them around Dublin!

Even though my religious beliefs have changed over the years and I have not participated in Lent or attended Church in a very long time, I still love the excitement and anticipation that surrounds Easter. It’s a time of celebration and new life, and I think that no matter if you are religious in any way or not, celebrating good times with your family and friends and welcoming new life (physically or symbolically) into your lives is a great way to ring in the spring season!

The chocolate is pretty great too.