Happy Easter! When do the school holidays finish, why does the date change and what’s the weekend UK weather forecast?
THE dates for the Easter holidays change every year, so keeping track of the holiday can prove tricky.
While the dates for Christmas and Valentine’s Day are fixed, Easter can fall any time between March 22 and April 25.
So, now that the time has FINALLY arrived to tuck into this year's chocolate selection, here is all you need to know about this year's Easter celebrations:
When is Easter 2017?
This year Good Friday fell on April 14, with Easter Sunday and Monday April 16-17.
The celebration for most adults will be a four-day weekend as Good Friday and Easter Monday are also bank holidays.
When are the school term dates for Easter?
The school break is two weeks long and this year kids will be most likely be off from Friday, March 31 to Monday, April 17, although these may vary from school to school.
To be 100 per cent sure of your child’s school term times use the Government’s postcode checker.
Normally, the county council sets the holiday dates - although schools sometimes change the weeks.
Academies and private schools are given more autonomy, and often have different holiday dates and length to state comprehensives.
What's the weather forecast for Easter?
Weather predictions show that it could be a disappointing holiday for some.
Temperatures in some parts of the UK are expected to drop by as much as 10C on Monday as the weather returns to normal for this time of year.
Eleanor Bell said: "At the moment there is an indication the holiday weekend will be influenced by a slack area of low pressure with cloud and showers and temperatures around normal for the time of year in a north-westerly air flow.
“It will be drier to the south under higher pressure there."
Keep an eye on the Met Office website for the latest updates.
When are the Easter bank holidays?
The next bank holiday you can look forward to is Friday April 14, marking Good Friday and the start of the Easter long weekend.
The rest of 2017's bank holidays are:
- Friday April 14 - Good Friday
- Monday April 17 - Easter Monday
- Monday May 1 - Early May bank holiday
- Monday May 29 - Spring bank holiday
- Monday August 28 - Summer bank holiday
- Monday December 25 - Christmas Day
- Tuesday December 26 - Boxing Day
Bank or public holidays do not have to be given to employees as paid leave, an employer can decide whether to include bank holidays as part of a worker’s statutory leave.
Bank holidays may also impact how benefits are paid, the gov.uk website explains how they may be affected.
When is Easter Sunday?
This year Easter Sunday (also known as Easter Day) is on April 16 – TODAY.
Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday as it was the day Jesus rose from the dead, following being crucified on a Friday two days before.
Centuries ago in 325, it was determined by a council of Christian bishops that Easter Day would always be on a Sunday to commemorate the happy occasion.
How are the dates of Easter determined?
The death of Jesus occurred around the Jewish Passover, which is traditionally held on first full moon following the vernal equinox.
As the full moon can vary in each time zone, the Church said that they would use the 14th day of the lunar month instead – the Paschal Full Moon – and host Easter Day on the following Sunday.
Once the date of that moon is known, Easter Day and the Easter holidays can be determined.
What are the best Easter egg deals?
If you are looking to snap up some bargains, we revealed the best Easter egg deals of 2017, from Asda, Tesco and Sainsburys to Thorntons, Hotel Chocolat and Lindt.
But it's bad news for parents with lots of kids - the cost of Easter eggs has soared this year, with a reported price hike of 18.1 per cent per kg.
If you are looking for something a bit special this year, we revealed the most luxurious Easter eggs you can buy, from £3.50 to £1,000.
What’s the Biblical Easter story?
Easter is a Christian tradition that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and marks the end of Lent.
Those who follow the Bible believe that Christ was crucified at Calvary on Good Friday.
Accounts of the Gospel state that it was the day that the son of God was betrayed by Judas, before he was sentenced to death.
After the crucifixion, the scriptures say that Jesus’ body was taken from the cross and placed in a tomb guarded by Roman Soldiers.
Three days later, Mary Magdalene, followed by some of Jesus’ disciples, discovered that Christ’s body had disappeared.
His followers believed that the Son of God was resurrected on this day, which has become known as Easter Sunday.
Bank holidays in 2017
- Monday January 2 – New Year’s Day substitute
- Friday April 14 – Good Friday
- Monday April 17 – Easter Monday
- Monday May 1 – early May Bank Holiday
- Monday May 29 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday August 28 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Monday December 25 – Christmas Day
- Tuesday December 26 – Boxing Day
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