Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar and is a celebration of Jesus rising from the dead, three days after his crucifixion. It also marks the end of the 40 day fasting period of Lent and the week leading up to it is known as Holy Week, during which special services are held in Christian churches to commemorate Jesus' victory over death.

The week begins with Palm Sunday, which celebrates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, followed by Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, which focus on Jesus' teachings, his cleansing of the Temple and Judas plotting his betrayal. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper and Good Friday marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus, followed by Holy Saturday, which often concludes with an Easter Vigil at night.

Easter Sunday is a time for joy to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is typically marked by the exchanging of Easter eggs, but the date changes year on year.

Easter falls on a different date each year as it follows the lunar calendar and always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that follows the spring equinox.

The spring equinox, which marks the first day of astronomical spring, will take place this year on Friday, March 20. As such, Easter falls on the first Sunday following this event which will be Sunday, April 5.

In 2026, the Easter bank holidays in the UK fall on Friday, April 3 (Good Friday), and Monday, April 6 (Easter Monday).

These dates apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but in Scotland, Easter Monday isn't a nationwide bank holiday, although some councils do claim it as one including Edinburgh, Dundee and Falkirk.

Easter school holidays in 2026 can vary depending on where you live, but will generally run from Monday, March 30, until April 10. You can check the term dates where you live on your local council's website.

The Easter bank holiday is often celebrated by exchanging - and eating - chocolate eggs, and while it may sound like an unusual way to mark such an important occasion, it is actually a longstanding tradition.

Eggs have been given as gifts at spring festivals throughout history to celebrate the new season and are representative of new life and rebirth, which is how this ancient custom later became a part of Easter celebrations. Eggs were also seen as a treat following a period of fasting for Lent and were also considered to be a symbol of good luck.

English Heritage explains: "In the medieval period, eating eggs was forbidden during Lent (the 40 days before Easter) so on Easter Sunday, tucking into an egg was a real treat! This was especially true for poorer people who couldn't afford to buy meat.

"Eggs were given to the church as Good Friday offerings, and villagers often gave eggs as gifts to the lord of the manor at Easter. Even royals got involved - in 1290, Edward I purchased 450 eggs, which were decorated with colours or gold leaf and given out to his household.

"There were lots of superstitions about eggs at Easter too. Eggs laid on Good Friday were said to turn into diamonds if they were kept for 100 years, and if your egg had two yolks it was a sign you would soon become rich.

"Some people thought that eggs cooked on Good Friday and eaten on Easter Sunday would improve fertility and prevent sudden death, and it became the custom for people to have their eggs blessed before eating them."