Easter and Christmas are two of the Christian holidays of my childhood.   They never really seemed to match what we were celebrating.  But then again Christmas presents and Easter baskets were all about me.   What I would get. Of the two, Easter was my favorite.   Mainly because my birthday always fell two days before Christmas and was lost compared to everyone else.

In my early twenties I converted to Judaism and another set of holidays were added to my experience.   Confused, there were things about both that made me wonder the true meaning behind them.

Understanding Christian Holidays

What I have finally understood is that they are traditions.   Traditions that I experience and share along the way.   The meanings not as significant as I was as a young child.   As a Spiritualist the Christian meanings behind the holidays do not have the same meaning to me.   Why would I celebrate Jesus birth and death over any other great teacher is beyond me.    Yet these holidays are a major part of our culture and to my family.  It is interesting that that they fall exactly where certain Pagan holidays fall.   As if they were co opted at the time to make them more accessible.

I have great memories of Easter with my Polish grandmother making the basket that we would take on Saturday for blessing of the baskets that we would break into Easter morning.   Little memories of making butter lambs, preparing great food and coloring eggs.   They are family traditions that I have happy memories.   That is what holidays should be happy memories.

Spiritualists do not have the holidays that we know about, they embrace what is around them and celebrate life and love.   They study all known religions for aspects of their teachings to assist in our daily lives.   Spiritualism is a way of life more than a religion.  Embracing all that are around and loving them.

This Easter, go and build those happy memories; because that is all we can take with us when we leave this world.