Happy Easter Glenferrie!

Easter is a major Christian holiday, which this year falls on Sunday 9 April according to the Ecclesiastical Calendar. Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Christian Bible's New Testament. Jesus was a Jew, who had the Last Supper the night before his Crucifixion (on Good Friday), a Passover meal with his disciples. Therefore Easter often coincides with the major Jewish holiday of Passover or Pesach (5-13 April this year), which celebrates the biblical liberation of the Israelites from slavery.

Egg Cups at Blackbird and Fox, 714 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn

The date of Easter changes year to year based on a lunisolar calendar. Calculating the date of Easter has a long and contentious history; even now Western and Eastern Christianity celebrate Easter on different days. In the Western world, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first Ecclesiastic Full Moon (5 April 2023) the Paschal Full Moon.

While Western society was founded on the Christian tradition, in modern times it has become more and more secular. Because of this, highly commercialised holidays like Christmas and Easter have become, to many, completely separate from their religious origins. Rabbits symbolise fertility and eggs represent new life, an ode to Jesus' resurrection. The general public celebrates Easter using the myth of the Easter bunny and Easter eggs. Easter staples - hot cross buns, chocolate bunnies and eggs - have been on supermarket shelves from the end of December, a commercial promotion quickly replacing Christmas.

Chocolate Easter Bilby at Haigh's Chocolates, 715 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn

The Easter Bilby is an Australian spin on the Easter Bunny. The bilby is an endangered native Australian marsupial, while rabbits are considered one of Australia's most destructive pest animals. Some chocolate manufacturers donate part of their proceeds of sales from Easter Bilbies to bilby conservation causes. Haigh's Chocolates (715 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn) are marking 30 years of the Easter Bilby at Haigh's and the chocolatiers support for the Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia.

For many, Easter is a time of memorial and reflection. For others, it is a time for chocolate and holidays. For all, it is a time for family, food, and lots of celebration.

Whatever your take on Easter may be, a range of Glenferrie Hawthorn retailers have a selection of delightful Easter treats and accessories available this Easter.

Easter in Glenferrie Hawthorn (images clockwise from top left): Hot Cross Buns at Bakers Delight (748 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn), Egg Cups at Blackbird and Fox (714 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn), Chocolate Easter Bilby at Haigh's Chocolates (715 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Easter Decorations at Panache Flowers (712 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn), Easter Gifts at Miss Gourmet & Co. (726 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn), Straw Easter Bunnies at Homing Instincts (730 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn)