Arts & Culture

Easter a time for reflection

By Don Fennell

Published 4:55 PDT, Wed May 10, 2017

Last Updated: 2:12 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021

Easter, rooted in tradition, is a time for family to come together and reflect.

A Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter is held on the Sunday after his crucifixion, which is marked on Good Friday. In Canada, it is always (following the Gregorian calendar) between March 22 and April 25. This year, Good Friday (a national holiday) is April 14 and Easter Sunday, April 16.

Additional customs include special church services, new dress clothes as well as egg hunting, the Easter bunny and Easter parades.

The Easter Bunny, a folkloric figure depicted as a rabbit carrying brightly coloured eggs—and sometimes candy and toys—in a basket, began as a practice among German Lutherans.

The tradition of Easter egg hunts has become common in most communities across the country, Richmond certainly being no exception.

Many local community centres participate in the annual celebration.

For example, South Arm Community Centre has held such events through the years.

It’s been so successful that it has had to hold at least three different hunts to meet the demand.

Participants collect special plastic eggs “hidden” throughout a designated area, which are then returned for goodie bags, explains community-development co-ordinator, Winnie Wong.

“This event attracts a mix of newcomers and returnees because it’s a good family event, and especially for the young, fosters developing social skills,” she said. “It allows the kids to be creative and express themselves.”

In recent years, Easter has also become a favourite time of the year for those with a sweet tooth.

“(When it comes to chocolate sales) Easter is the second biggest occasion of the year, with Christmas the biggest,” said Anita Schulz, manager of Sinfully the Best chocolate shop in Steveston.

This year, the Moncton Street retailer has a particularly fun selection of chocolate bunnies, including one wearing a chocolate sweater, hand-painted with vividly-coloured, edible cocoa butter.

“It has a burst of colours and is really pretty,” Schulz said.

The chocolatier, who makes all its products on site, is offering (for a limited time) a giant bunny that retails for $300. Tickets for the April 14 giant chocolate bunny draw, are $1 each available at Sinfully the Best, corner of No 1 Road and Chatham Street, with all proceeds going to the Richmond Food Bank.

See more canada news

See All

See more international news

  See All
© 2024 Richmond Sentinel News Inc. All rights reserved. Designed by Intelli Management Group Inc.