Celebrating Festivals

• Liturgical calendar


  Shows all key seasons of celebratory worship, based upon key events in the life of Jesus Christ
• The history of these festivals is based on the Christian tradition, but many non-Christians also celebrate them, while others may not celebrate at all
• Britain is a secular country, not governed religiously and allows the expression of many different belief systems
• Most popular Christian celebrations in the UK

  • Christmas
  • Easter
• Christmas


  • Represents the incarnation of Jesus Christ, a time of joy as Christians believe the Saviour of humanity was given to the world by God
  • Allows people to come together with their community, pay respect, and show kindness to those living in poverty and hardship
  • Many will participate in volunteering, charity work, and donating to those in need
• Christmas celebrations


  • Attending a service, midnight Mass, singing carols, sharing a Christmas meal, decorating homes, Nativity plays
• Christmas tree


  Originates in Germany and is used globally to represent the value of life
• Many will also share gifts and cards in a symbolic nod to the wise men and their gifts to Jesus
• Easter


  • Holy Week and Easter Sunday bring to an end the season of Lent, where British Christians will give something up or fast for 40 days to represent Jesus's time in the wilderness
  • Celebrates Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, each holding significance leading up to the solemn Day of Crucifixion on Good Friday and the joyful celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday
• Easter celebrations


  • Maundy Thursday - Queen hands out silver coins, known as Maundy money, to selected elderly people
  • Easter Sunday - Christians will often shout Hallelujah, Christ is risen
  • Easter vigil at church at midnight before Easter Sunday, performing sacraments like Eucharist, baptisms, and ordination rites
  • Protestants may hold sunrise services on Sunday
  • Sharing of Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, and the painting of eggs
  • Orthodox Christians may die eggs red to symbolize the blood that Jesus spilled when crucified, the egg also represents new life after the resurrection
  • Fireworks and other celebrations may take place on the night
• Good Friday commemorates the day when Jesus was arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced to death, and executed by crucifixion.
• The crucifixion represents the sacrifice made by Jesus for human salvation.
• Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who died on the cross to save humanity from sin.