Easter 2024 Countdown
until March 31, 2024
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Easter 2019 Facts and History
Easter is a Christian holiday celebrated all over the world by nearly all Christian denominations. The day is also known as Pascha or Resurrection Sunday. In some Christian faiths, Easter is part of a days’ long series of events that begins the Thursday before Easter with Maundy Thursday, continues to Good Friday through Easter Sunday. The week leading up to Easter is sometimes referred to as Holy Week.
When Is Easter 2019 Held?
Unlike the Christian holiday of Christmas, Easter is not held on the same date every year. Instead, the holiday is held on the first Sunday following the ecclesiastical full moon that falls the closest to March 21 each year. The moving date was originally due to Christians’ desire to celebrate Easter shortly after Passover. As the date of the Jewish holiday moves based on lunar cycles, so did Easter. In 325 CE, the Council of Niacea created an equation to calculate the date for Easter Sunday each year. Easter is sometimes held on different dates in the Eastern Orthodox denominations of Christianity due to differences in their calendar.
What Does Easter 2019 Celebrate?
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a historical figure that Christians believe was the son of God. Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday, but his body was discovered missing from his tomb that following Sunday. Christians believe that Jesus was taken to Heaven to live alongside God, and that his crucifixion opens up a path for people to believe in him to also be resurrected after Death. This is one of the core tenants of the Christian faith, and Easter is celebrated to remind Christians of it.
Religious Easter 2019 Traditions
For religious Christians, Easter is usually celebrated by attending a church service or mass on Easter Sunday. Services and masses may also be held on other days during Holy Week. After or before church, families may gather to eat meals together.
Secular Easter 2019 Traditions
Easter is not a federal holiday in the United States but some businesses do close for all or part of the day on Good Friday and/or Easter Sunday to allow employees time to spend with their families. Over the years, a number of non-religious traditions have become associated with Easter and may be enjoyed by people who are not religious or even by those who do not subscribe to the Christian faith. Some of these traditions include:
- Easter Eggs: Dyeing or otherwise decorating eggs is a tradition that originated in ancient Mesopotamia. The eggs were originally meant to symbolize the empty tomb after Christ’s Resurrection, but many people see them simply as a symbol of Easter in the modern age. In some communities, plastic Easter eggs are hidden for children to find in “Easter Egg Hunts” in honor of the holiday.
- Easter Baskets: Many people give baskets filled with candies, Easter eggs and other small gifts to friends and family, especially to children.
- The Easter Bunny: Children are often told that Easter baskets and Easter eggs are left by a figure known as the Easter Bunny. The character emerged out of Germany where Lutheran Christians first came up with the creature during the 17th century.
| Date | Holiday | Type |
| January 2019 | ||
| Jan 1 – Tues | New Year’s Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Jan 6 – Sun | Epiphany 2019 | Christian |
| Jan 7 – Mon | Orthodox Christmas Day 2019 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 14 – Mon | Orthodox New Year 2019 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 15 – Tues | Makar Sankranti 2019 | Hindu |
| Jan 21 – Mon | Tu B’Shevat 2019 | Jewish |
| Jan 21 – Mon | Martin Luther King Day 2019 | National holiday |
| February 2019 | ||
| Feb 1 – Fri | National Freedom Day 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 1 – Fri | National Wear Red Day 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 2 – Sat | Groundhog Day 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 5 – Tues | Chinese New Year 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 12 – Tues | Lincoln’s Birthday 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 14 – Thurs | Valentine’s Day 2019 | Observance |
| Feb 18 – Mon | Presidents’ Day – Washington’s Birthday 2019 | National holiday |
| March 2019 | ||
| Mar 1 – Fri | Read Across America Day 2019 | Observance |
| Mar 1 – Fri | Employee Appreciation Day 2019 | Observance |
| Mar 5 – Tues | Maha Shivaratri 2019 | Hindu |
| Mar 5 – Tues | Mardi Gras 2019 | Christian |
| Mar 6 – Wed | Lent 2019 | Christian |
| Mar 6 – Wed | Ash Wednesday 2019 | Christian |
| Mar 10 – Sun | Daylight Saving Time – begins 2019 | Daylight Saving |
| Mar 17 – Sun | St. Patrick’s Day 2019 | Observance |
| Mar 20 – Wed | Spring/Fall – March equinox 2019 | Season |
| Mar 21 – Thur | Purim 2019 | Jewish |
| Mar 21 – Thurs | Holi 2019 | Hindu |
| April 2019 | ||
| Apr 1 – Mon | April Fools’ Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 3 – Wed | Isra and Mi’raj 2019 | Muslim |
| Apr 13 – Sat | Thomas Jefferson Birthday 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 14 – Sun | Rama Navami 2019 | Hindu |
| Apr 14 -Sun | Palm Sunday 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 15 – Mon | Tax Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 16 – Tues | National Library Workers Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 18 – Thurs | Maundy Thursday 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 19 – Fri | Good Friday 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 20 – Sat | Holy Saturday 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 20 – Sat | Passover – Starts 2019 | Jewish |
| Apr 21 – Sun | Laylat al Bara’at 2019 | Muslim |
| Apr 21 – Sun | Easter 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 21 – Sun | Earth Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 22 – Mon | Easter Monday 2019 | Christian |
| Apr 24 – Wed | Administrative Professionals Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 25 – Thurs | Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 26 – Fri | Orthodox Good Friday 2019 | Orthodox Christian |
| Apr 26 – Fri | Arbor Day 2019 | Observance |
| Apr 27 – Sat | Passover – Final Day 2019 | Jewish |
| Apr 28 – Sun | Orthodox Easter 2019 | Orthodox Christian |
| May 2019 | ||
| May 1 – Wed | May Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 2 – Thur | Yom Hashoah 2019 | Jewish |
| May 2 – Thurs | National Day of Prayer 2019 | Observance |
| May 5 – Sun | Cinco de Mayo 2019 | Observance |
| May 6 – Mon | National Nurses Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 6 – Mon | Ramadan starts 2019 | Muslim |
| May 12 – Sun | Mothers’ Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 15 – Wed | Peace Officers Memorial Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 18 – Sat | Armed Forces Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 22 – Wed | National Maritime Day 2019 | Observance |
| May 23 – Thurs | Lag BaOmer 2019 | Jewish |
| May 27 – Mon | Memorial Day 2019 | National holiday |
| May 30 – Thurs | Ascension Day 2019 | Christian |
| Jun 1 – Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2019 | Muslim |
| June 2019 | ||
| Jun 1 – Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2019 | Muslim |
| Jun 5 – Wed | Eid al-Fitr 2019 | Muslim |
| Jun 6 – Thurs | D-Day 2019 | Observance |
| Jun 9 – Sun | Shavuot 2019 | Jewish |
| Jun 9 – Sun | Pentecost 2019 | Christian |
| Jun 10 – Mon | Whit Monday 2019 | Christian |
| Jun 14 – Fri | Flag Day 2019 | Observance |
| Jun 16 – Sun | Fathers’ Day 2019 | Observance |
| Jun 20 – Thurs | Corpus Christi 2019 | Christian |
| Jun 21 – Fri | Summer/Winter Solstice 2019 | Season |
| July 2019 | ||
| Jul 4 – Thurs | Rath Yatra 2019 | Hindu |
| Jul 4 – Thurs | 4th of July – Independence Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Jul 28 – Sun | Parents Day 2019 | Observance |
| August 2019 | ||
| Aug 4 – Sun | Friendship Day 2019 | Observance |
| Aug 11 – Sun | Day of Arafat 2019 | Muslim |
| Aug 11 – Sun | Tisha B’Av 2019 | Jewish |
| Aug 11 – Sun | Eid al-Adha 2019 | Muslim |
| Aug 14 – Wed | Raksha Bandhan 2019 | Hindu |
| Aug 15 – Thurs | Assumption of Mary 2019 | Christian |
| Aug 19 – Mon | National Aviation Day 2019 | Observance |
| Aug 21 – Wed | Senior Citizens Day 2019 | Observance |
| Aug 23 – Fri | Krishna Janmashtami 2019 | Hindu |
| Aug 26 – Mon | Women’s Equality Day 2019 | Observance |
| Aug 31 – Sat | Muharram 2019 | Muslim |
| September 2019 | ||
| Sept 2 – Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi 2019 | Hindu |
| Sep 2 – Mon | Labor Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Sep 8 – Sun | National Grandparents Day 2019 | Observance |
| Sep 10 – Tues | Ashura 2019 | Muslim |
| Sep 11 – Wed | Patriot Day 2019 | Observance |
| Sep 17 – Tues | Constitution Citizenship Day 2019 | Observance |
| Sep 23 – Mon | Fall/ Spring – September equinox 2019 | Season |
| Sept 29 – Sun | Navratri 2019 | Hindu |
| Sept 30 – Mon | Rosh Hashana 2019 | Jewish |
| October 2019 | ||
| Oct 7 – Mon | Child Health Day 2019 | Observance |
| Oct 7 – Mon | Dussehra 2019 | Hindu |
| Oct 9 – Wed | Leif Erikson 2019 | Observance |
| Oct 9 – Wed | Yom Kippur 2019 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 – Mon | Sukkot 2019 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 – Mon | Columbus Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Oct 16 – Wed | Boss’s Day 2019 | Observance |
| Oct 21 – Mon | Shemini Atzeret 2019 | Jewish |
| Oct 22 – Tues | Simchat Torah 2019 | Jewish |
| Oct 27 – Sun | Diwali 2019 | Hindu |
| Oct 31 – Thurs | Halloween 2019 | Observance |
| November 2019 | ||
| Nov 1 – Fri | All Saints’ Day 2019 | Christian |
| Nov 2 – Fri | All Souls Day 2019 | Christian |
| Nov 3 – Sun | Daylight Saving Time – ends 2019 | Daylight Saving |
| Nov 10 – Sun | The Prophet’s Birthday 2019 | Muslim |
| Nov 11 – Mon | Veterans Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Nov 28 – Thurs | Thanksgiving Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Nov 29 – Fri | Black Friday 2019 | Observance |
| December 2019 | ||
| Dec 2 – Mon | Cyber Monday 2019 | Observance |
| Dec 1 – Sun | Advent 2019 | Christian |
| Dec 6 – Fri | St Nicholas Day 2019 | Christian |
| Dec 7 – Sat | Pearl Harbor Remebrance Day 2019 | Observance |
| Dec 17 – Tues | Wright Brothers Day 2019 | Observance |
| Dec 22 – Sun | Winter/Summer Solstice 2019 | Season |
| Dec 23 – Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah – Starts 2019 | Jewish |
| Dec 24 – Tues | Christmas Eve 2019 | Christian |
| Dec 25 – Wed | Christmas Day 2019 | National holiday |
| Dec 26 – Thurs | Kwanzaa -thru Jan 1 2019 | Observance |
| Dec 30 – Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah – Final Day 2019 | Jewish |
| Dec 31 – Tues | New Years Eve 2019 | Observance |
