Easter is a time of contemplation and worship, and a time for eating chocolate bunnies and hunting colorful eggs.
For Christians, the holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which, according to the New Testament of the Bible, occurred three days after he was crucified. Long before it became a Christian holy day, though, Easter was a pagan tradition celebrating the arrival of spring _ a time of renewal and fertility.
Like Christmas, Easter has for centuries been celebrated by Christians, pagans and secularists alike. Your traditions may include dyeing and hunting eggs, attending a sunrise church service and enjoying a hearty meal with family and friends.
Gather your family and have a little fun taking this quiz, which runs the gamut from serious religious questions to tasty trivia about sugary sweets.
And however you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a happy, meaningful holiday.
1. The concept of the Easter Bunny originated in Germany during the 1700s, but the mythical creature wasn't a rabbit initially. What was it?
A. Cat
D. Dog
C. Kangaroo
D. Hare
2. Hunting and rolling eggs are popular Easter traditions. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878. Who was president at the time?
A. Rutherford B. Hayes
B. James A. Garfield
C. Ulysses S. Grant
D. Andrew Johnson
3. The Bible says Jesus rose from the dead on the first Sunday following the Jewish feast of ______.
A. Plenty
B. Passover
C. Saints
D. Sharing
4. To whom did Jesus first appear after his resurrection, according to Biblical accounts?
A. Doubting Thomas
B. Martha
C. His mother, Mary
D. Mary Magdalene
5. Historically, with what profession is the Easter basket associated?
A. Shepherd
B. Tax collector
C. Farmer
D. Juggler
6. Lent, a period of fasting, self-denial and repentance, occurs the 40 days prior to Easter (from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, minus the six Sundays during that time). What does the number 40 represent?
A. The number of days Jesus was in prison before his death on the cross.
B. Jesus' age when he was crucified.
C. The number of days Jesus fasted in the wilderness.
D. The 40 years the Israelites spent in the desert.
7. The most popular chocolate egg worldwide is the Cadbury Creme Egg. Approximately how many are produced each year?
A. 50 million
B. 100 million
C. 300 million
D. 500 million
8. Easter and church holidays leading up to that day, such as Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Good Friday, are sometimes referred to as what type of feasts?
A. Loveable
B. Portable
C. Moveable
D. Malleable
9. Americans purchase more than 700 million marshmallow Peeps during the Easter season. What is the most popular color?
A. Pink
B. Lavender
C. Yellow
D. Blue
10. Most of the bigger holidays (and even some of the smaller ones) have an animated special starring the Peanuts gang. What is the name of the Peanuts Easter special?
A. "It's Easter, Charlie Brown"
B. "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown"
C. "A Charlie Brown Easter"
D. "You're a Good Egg, Charlie Brown"
11. Which member of the Rat Pack starred with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in "Easter Parade," the 1948 movie musical?
A. Frank Sinatra
B. Dean Martin
C. Peter Lawford
D. Sammy Davis Jr.
12. Which of these famous singers recorded "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" in 1950? Hint: He also sang "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."
A. Bing Crosby
B. Gene Autry
C. Dean Martin
D. Perry Como
13. Americans consume approximately 16 billion jelly beans at Easter, many of them contained in plastic eggs. What is the most popular jelly bean flavor?
A. Cherry
B. Grape
C. Strawberry
D. Lemon
14. The resurrection story appears in all four gospels of the New Testament of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and _______ .
A. James
B. John
C. Joseph
D. Jesus
15. In Christianity, why is the Sunday before the resurrection called Palm Sunday?
A. The wood for Jesus' cross was made from palm trees.
B. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, his followers waved and covered the road in palm leaves.
C. It is a reference to the scars on Jesus' palms after he was crucified.
D. Jesus wore palm leaves on his garments the day of the crucifixion.
