By If you don’t observe the religious significance of Easter, what remains for us in the Southern Hemisphere?
I’ve written on a number of occasions about the incongruity of Christmas in the hot Australian summer, but never about what Easter is like here. It is autumn, the harvest (or vintage!) is finally in, the leaves are turning, the evenings are drawing in and turning cool… and it is Easter. If you don’t observe the religious significance of Easter, what remains for us in the Southern Hemisphere? Gone also is the symbolism of the spring and new life: lambing, blossoms, the passing of winter, hope… and the Easter bunny is a non-native pest introduced by the colonists for sport, hardly a creature to be celebrated.
Of course, we have chocolate eggs and the fun of an egg hunt. Family gatherings will be like Christmas but without the stress and hype, with a bit less commercialism. Camping is also hugely popular as the extra long weekend offers a last chance to fully experience the great outdoors, unless you are the intrepid hard-core type. For others it is the lure of the ocean- sailing, fishing, or just a walk on the beach. We glimpsed a pod of dolphins at sunset on Easter Sunday, always a joyous surprise. It felt symbolic. That’ll do for me.
For the Daily Post weekly photo challenge Surprise.
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Dr D in Oz 
I wonder what sea creatures are enter life from those coloured eggs?
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That’s interesting. I never think thought about it, never having set foot in the Southern Hemisphere. I am curious now about what are the non-European festivals of Australia that the natives must have been celebrating since before colonization?
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It is warm enough in Australia this time of the year for a dip in the ocean. Hope it was good weather and a good one there in South Australia 😊
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