Easter is one of those U.S. holidays that sneaks up on you without much warning. Perhaps it’s because the spring season does the same thing, coming out of nowhere after it’s been winter for seemingly half a year. Perhaps it’s because Easter’s date fluctuates anywhere from late March to mid April. No matter which is the case, I think it can be agreed on that the bunny-filled holiday is quite sneaky.
Easter is a peculiar holiday at the very least. While it’s one grounded in religion, it’s almost received a lot of the same treatment Christmas has in that gifts, bright colors, decorations, and family seem to surround it. And more than any of those things, businesses capitalize on the potential it holds to make a lot of money.
More than any other time of year, Easter is when you’ll see loads of pastels. It doesn’t matter what item or merchandise or decoration it’s on, pastels reign supreme around Easter season. It sort of makes sense, though, in that many of Easter’s themes revolve around new growth and life. The holiday is supposed to go hand in hand with the new spring season, so baby blues (the color of robin eggs), bright greens (new shoots and buds), and soft pinks (reminiscent of flowers) abound.
Like I said, though, Easter can be a cash grab for a lot of businesses. Gift card companies make a killing off of it, just like any other major holiday for them. Candy makers roll out their latest candy boxes to entice parents wanting to stuff their kids’ baskets full of unique treats. And department stores go wild with the stuffed animals, egg-painting kits, and more. It’s almost easy to forget where the holiday actually originated considering how businesses make sales off of the bunnies, candy boxes, chicks, eggs, and baskets more than they do off the figure of Jesus.
Just like any other holiday that’s big in the U.S., Easter isn’t spared by its ability to sell. While most of our holidays have religious, political, historical, or national backgrounds, we find a way to produce and consume it in ways that strip the holiday from its actual origin.
In a way, I find how these holidays are treated by the masses quite harmless. However, if I had more ties to the figures, religions, or nations associated with certain holidays, I could find myself wondering how it’s come to this. The short answer, for anyone wanting to know, is pretty much capitalism. The longer answer probably spans across the realms of culture, business, economy, and history, but it’s better left to the imagination.