Easter 2024 Date

When is Easter Sunday? Why does the date change every year? Let’s find out together.

Easter 2024 is Sunday, March 31, 2024. Of course, Easter Sunday is always a Sunday, but the exact date varies each year, depending on the position of the moon in early spring.

Why does Easter fall on a different date each year?

Easter and the other religious holidays associated with it—Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and Good Friday—are known as “movable holidays.” This means they are not fixed dates on the calendar. Instead, these holidays are assigned according to what's called a lunisolar calendar, which aligns the phases of the moon with the position of the sun in the sky. (Passover and other Jewish holidays also follow the lunisolar calendar.)

How is the date of Easter determined?

According to a fourth-century ruling, the date of Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the Easter full moon, which is the first full moon of spring. It occurs on or shortly after the Spring Equinox, also known as the Spring Equinox. March 22 is the earliest Easter of any year and April 25 is the latest. If the first full moon of spring falls on a Sunday, Easter Sunday falls on the following Sunday.

Astronomers can tell us exactly when the moon is in full opposition to the sun, which is when the moon is considered "full." However, the church follows its own method for determining the timing of the full moon. An important factor is the so-called "golden number". It was a series of rather arcane calculations that ultimately provided the date for Easter. Of course, sometimes the date of the full moon doesn't exactly match the date provided by astronomy.

easter traditions

On Easter days, all relatives will gather together to spend this traditional festival.

If you can't be with your loved ones this Easter, here are some ways you can celebrate with them:

1. Virtual Easter

Many online video conferencing tools are free and can be easily set up from a computer or smartphone. You schedule a date and time and send your guests the generated meeting code. This is a great tool to use to stay connected with loved ones. Here's a guide to the many options available.

2. Mail it!

It's fun to receive mail that isn't a bill or a sales flyer. Why not make your own Easter card and mail it? You can even print customizable Easter greetings found online and send them to family and friends.

3. Zero waste egg search

Food waste may be on your mind these days, so if you decide not to make eggs this year, there are still ways to go on an Easter "egg" hunt.

Sock Hunt – Hide pairs of Easter-themed socks (rolled into egg shapes) around the house. You find them, you keep them!

Paper “Eggs” – Before Easter, have the kids decorate eggs with construction paper and let the adults hide them. Whoever finds the most eggs on Easter morning wins a prize. You can even leave a message on the back for even more prizes!

Get creative! You can hide anything to make it fun for kids. Check out these clever Easter egg hunt ideas here.

Puppy Fun – Plan an Easter egg hunt for your dog!