The Easter bunny has arrived, chocolate Easter eggs are in the shops, the daffodils are out, and the weather is getting better!

Easter is a great time of year, but what are its origins?

Originally Easter was called Pascha after the Hebrew word for Passover, a Jewish festival that happens at this time of year. It was replaced by Easter, a word which is believed to have evolved from Eostre, the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and springtime.

The date of Easter is determined by the lunar calendar. In 2008, the Easter weekend starts with Good Friday on 21st March and ends on Easter Monday, 24 March.

There are many food traditions celebrated at this time of year.

Hot cross buns are a favourite for many in the United Kingdom, and are thought to have originated from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who ate small cakes or buns in honour of the respective goddesses that they worshipped. Buns marked with a cross were eaten by the Saxons to honour a goddess. It is thought the bun represented the moon and the cross, its four quarters. To Christians, the cross symbolises the crucifixion.

In Scandinavia, Easter Pasha is eaten. This is a fluffycreamy pudding, which is very light and sweet, and in Finland a strange mixture of molasses and rye flour is served at this time of year. It dates back to the sixteenth century and is called M盲mmi.

Of course Easter wouldn鈥檛 be Easter without eggs! The tradition of colouring eggs in bright colours goes back to the Middle Ages. It is said that this represents the sunlight of spring. In Germany it is traditional to paint eggs green, while in Greek and Slavic cultures eggs are dyed red as a symbol of the blood of Christ.

For many, Easter symbolises new life, and images of new born chicks, and rabbits (or bunnies) are to be seen everywhere, on television, Easter cards, and on eggs.

• goddess [´gɔdis]   n.女神   (初中英语单词)
• celebrated [´selibreitid]   a.著名的   (初中英语单词)
• mixture [´mikstʃə]   n.混合；混合比；混合物   (初中英语单词)
• tradition [trə´diʃən]   n.传统；惯例；传说   (初中英语单词)
• sunlight [´sʌnlait]   n.日光   (初中英语单词)
• christ [kraist]   n.基督 int.天啊!   (初中英语单词)
• easter [´i:stə]   n.(耶稣)复活节   (高中英语单词)
• originally [ə´ridʒənəli]   ad.本来；独创地   (高中英语单词)
• jewish [´dʒu:iʃ]   a.犹太人(似)的   (高中英语单词)
• festival [´festivəl]   n.节日；庆祝；欢庆   (高中英语单词)
• calendar [´kælində]   n.日历；月历；历法   (高中英语单词)
• pudding [´pudiŋ]   n.布丁   (高中英语单词)
• symbol [´simbəl]   n.符号；象征   (高中英语单词)
• springtime [´spriŋtaim]   n.春季；青春期   (英语四级单词)
• weekend [´wi:kend, ,wi:k´end]   n.周末休假   (英语四级单词)
• respective [ri´spektiv]   a.各自的，各个的   (英语四级单词)
• molasses [mə´læsiz]   n.糖浆，糖蜜   (英语四级单词)
• traditional [trə´diʃənəl]   a.传统的，习惯的   (英语四级单词)
• anglo-saxon [,æŋgləu ´sæksən]   n.盎格鲁撒克逊人   (英语六级单词)
• fertility [fə:´tiliti]   n.肥沃；多产；繁殖力   (英语六级单词)
• fluffy [´flʌfi]   a.绒毛似的   (英语六级单词)
• creamy [´kri:mi]   a.含奶油的；米色的   (英语六级单词)
• colouring [´kʌləriŋ]   n.色彩；外貌；伪装   (英语六级单词)