Easter Hits Mid-April This Year

It’s about that time again. The earth feels like it’s finally beginning to thaw, flowers are blooming, and all your favorite places to get clothes for the kiddos are starting to look a bit more floral, paisley, and pastel in their selections. Easter is soon upon us, and since the date changes every year (more on that later), it’s understandable to not know exactly when Easter 2022 is going to be. It’s important to be prepared so you can dust off those Easter baskets, stock up on egg dye, fake grass, and candy, and get your kids’ wish lists for the Easter Bunny ready. Don’t forget about those adorable spring family photos, scary Easter Bunny photos, and figuring out what you’re going to wear to church on Easter Sunday if that’s how you roll.

When Is Easter 2022?

This year, Easter will be observed on Sunday, April 17. This year’s Easter is pretty special, as it falls just one day after April’s full moon, which will be the first full moon to occur after the spring equinox, per the Farmer’s Almanac website.

In the Christian calendar, this full moon is called the “Paschal Full Moon,” and it is what determines the date of Easter, the website noted. Easter is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or just after the spring equinox. The Farmer’s Almanac breaks it down: “In 2022, the spring equinox happens on Sunday, March 20. The first full Moon to occur after that date rises on Saturday, April 16. Therefore, Easter will be observed on the subsequent Sunday, which is Sunday, April 17,” the website said.

What exactly is the Paschal full moon? “Paschal” comes from “Pascha,” which is a “transliteration of the Aramaic word meaning passover,” according to the Farmer’s Almanac website.

So long story short, Easter 2022 is Sunday, April 17, because that is the first Sunday after the full moon to occur after the spring equinox. Which means you have time to peruse the aisles of Target and pick out all of your chocolate bunnies and bottles of vinegar for egg dyeing.