Max Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 The odd starting point for this rant is my kitchen. We're remodeling, and by this past weekend we were at the point where we had a new kitchen sitting in the garage, our old kitchen out on the back porch, and a working kitchen no where. We worked really hard all weekend getting ready for the cabinet installer to do his job on Monday. So yesterday, Easter Sunday, by supper time we were exhausted and famished (as we can't cook anything), so we cleaned up and headed out for a good, hearty meal. Nothing was open! Even the local 24-hour chain that's got at least a 50-50 chance of being open on xmas was closed. Even fast-food joints were closed. Mickie Dee's was the only spot in town, so that's what we had. But WTF? Even when I was an xtian, Easter wasn't much of a big deal. I mean, it's always on Sunday, so you were going to have that day off anyhow. Adding hard-boiled eggs doesn't really improve anything. My neice told me they've got two weeks off school. Really! When did this happen?
London Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 I too find this just crazy. I think it's been about 7 years now that more and more business' have been closing. I think we need to let the business' know that we want to shop on that day, money is the only way they will re-open. Not that I really care to shop on easter, but using greed to get them to not observe it as a holiday could work. I'm gonna start calling it Zombie Day.
London Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 Since I never observe easter I forgot how it was determined what the date is. Here is a link to explain it. http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/question80.htm If you read that, it really puts into question the validity of the myth. If he did rise, it would have been on a certain date. This holiday is basically based on a moon. So that says to me that once again, jesus is just a myth.
bdp Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 I work for the state and I get no time off for Easter - it's not a major holiday. By my definition anyway.
Max Posted April 9, 2012 Author Posted April 9, 2012 I'm gonna start calling it Zombie Day. I love the name, "Zombie Jesus Day"! Wouldn't it be great to see a ZJD parade? Shop the ZJD sales? It works as a name for a horror flick, too.
London Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 I'm gonna start calling it Zombie Day. I love the name, "Zombie Jesus Day"! Wouldn't it be great to see a ZJD parade? Shop the ZJD sales? It works as a name for a horror flick, too. LOL The Annual ZJD BOGO Sale! Someone posted a zombie pic in the funny pictures thread in humor.
mwc Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 Easter has always been an important day for a very long time. But in the past couple of decades it got less important. When I was younger everything closed in the town I grew up in. Then in the 90's some things stayed open (there was always some place open just after church to catch the noon traffic but otherwise nothing). More and more places stayed open until it seemed the Easter dragon was almost killed off. But I think the economy being crappy in recent years causes some problems and the solution is "old fashioned values." So close Easter. Give people the day off instead of time and a half (or more). Once things turn-around things will stay open again and the "old fashioned values" will give way to "Easter Savings!" mwc
Reprobate Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 You never seem to know what is going to be open. Are places having a hard time getting employees to work on easter?
Deva Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 No problem finding a local restaurant open here. At the one restaurant I frequent the proprietor is Greek Orthodox and the Easter usually falls on a different date! Anyway, its hit and miss with finding stores open. I was glad that I remembered the grocery store would be closed, and got my stuff on Saturday. However, it does inconvenience a person who works full time and can really only shop on the weekends. As a plus the daily 40 minute commute to work was much better. Many people were evidently taking the weekend off, as much for Passover as for Easter (a lot of Jewish people live here).
3DollarBill Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 My neice told me they've got two weeks off school. Really! When did this happen? Sounds like spring break to me. A lot of schools systems now use a schedule with 2 week breaks in October, December/January, and March/April with an 8 week summer vacation.
3DollarBill Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 Speaking of Easter...anybody else get drunk yesterday? I haven't believed in years but I only actually admitted it to myself last fall... so yesterday was kind of a "special" easter for me. I woke up to the realization that my entire fucking family was busy celebrating a 2000-year-old zombie. Sigh...sometimes I hate living 500 miles away from them but that's probably the only way it could work.
par4dcourse Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 Welcome to the forum, 3. Yeah, it was like the streets of an old western just before the shootout around here. One local chain grocery open, not much else. The religious zeal comes and goes, and it's fashionable right now.
Blue elephant Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 We have always had public holidays for Good Friday and Easter Monday in Australia, but I don't think it is because of religion. We have lots of public holidays throughout the summer months. Australia Day (Jan 26) Canberra Day (second Monday in March for the ACT), ANZAC Day (April 25) and the Queens birthday (first weekend in June). Then some sort of family day last weekend in September) and Labour Day(first Monday in October). And Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. Make the middle of winter a bit depressing and gloomy! Supermarkets are open every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday. Lots of the Greek owned small supermarkets will even open on Good Friday and Xmas Day! BUT the daily newspaper in Canberra does not publish on Good Friday or Christmas Day, even tho its parent newspaper does publish (I think the manager over the last few years must be a god-botherer!!)
Unbound Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 I went to the driving range just before noon on Easter to hit some golf balls, and they place was pretty crowded. I guess I wasn't the only one who didn't go to church. Come to think of it, sunday wasn't just easter sunday, it was Masters sunday, which takes precedence.
Akheia Posted April 10, 2012 Posted April 10, 2012 I didn't go out on Easter, but I don't think anybody would have had trouble finding a restaurant at least even in my very religious town. Last year I saw a lot of signs advertising Easter brunch specials anyway. Deva - hurray for Greek restaurants! One of my favorite memories of Vancouver BC was going out with my totally hung over then-lover on New Year's Day to find somewhere--anywhere--open to eat at, and running across a quirky little Greek place in Kitsilano. The guys there were awesome, the food was great, and we tipped rather extravagantly out of sheer gratefulness. The waiter chased after us to make sure we really meant to leave that much money on the table. We ended up becoming regulars.
JoeCoastie Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 From a theological stand point I've always been told that Easter should be bigger than Christmas. The Resurrection being more important than the birth. I was working, but this is the 2nd straight Easter where I haven't attended a service. Feels good.
JoeCoastie Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 I'll take a Cadbury Egg over a candy cane any day.
LivingLife Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Easter never looked so good as it did this year - Yes they are real. Bunnies FTW
Suzy Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Here in Hungary Easter was always a major holiday, second only to Christmas. We also have a public holiday on the Monday following Easter Sunday (the Monday still belonging to the Easter festivities). However the focus is less on religion on Monday than on customs with pagan origins: In Hungary, Transylvania, Southern Slovakia, Kárpátalja, Northern Serbia - Vojvodina and other territories with Hungarian-speaking communities, the day following Easter is called Locsoló Hétfő, "Watering Monday". Water, perfume or perfumed water is often sprinkled in exchange for an Easter egg. http://en.wikipedia..../Easter_customs
London Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Suzy, is this the Hungarian version of a wet t-shirt contest???
Recommended Posts