Philosophy

Easter and Christmas holidays are religious practices of the Christians religion. Joyous historical events such as resurrection and even the birth of Christ are among the holidays celebrated. Special opportunity to focus on self discipline, self reflection and repentance are provided by the fast days. Christian holidays have come to have much influence on tradition and western culture.

Easter Holiday
It is a spring festival that marks the central period of Christians Faith, the rising of Christ from the dead three days after he was crucified. It is the oldest Christian festive season and the most essential day of the church calendar year. All the Christian feasts that can be moved and the complete liturgical calendar year of worship are put in order around Easter.

The Easters first day of the week is preceded by the period of fasting, a 40 day moment of lent and repentance cumulating in the week of spiritual perfection and id succeeded by 50 day Easter period that extend from Easter to Pentecost.

Easter
Novak (1994) says the source of the word Easter is not indisputable but may be driven from an Anglo Saxon goddess of spring known as Estre. The word Ostern, Garman, has the same derivation but a lot of other languages come from the Greek term used by Christians of the early time Pascha, from the Hebrew Passover.

Easter is Festa Paschalia in Latin, a plural because it is a seven day feast which was the foundation of Paques for the French, the Pasqua for the Italian and Pascua for the Spanish. In addition related are Pask for the Scottish, Paschen for the dutch, Paaske for the Danish and Pask for the Swedish.

Observation of Easter on Religious Basis
Similar elements found in Roman Eastern Orthodox, Catholic Church, Protestant religious Easter celebrations comprise of
Feasting
Baptism
Greeting of Jesus is risen and He is risen indeed

The Eucharist
In western churches, and in some Lutheran as well as Anglican churches, they celebrate Easter holidays with an eve of a festival that is composed of lighting new fire, and using it as a sign of blessings. Then church service of teaching known as prophecies is carried out, followed paschal candle (which are lit), lastly the Easter mass is blessed. However, in Eastern countries a vigil is followed by a procession lead by the church leaders. Candles are not light upon the procession leaving the church to perform a symbolic search of the Christ body, But, the procession proclaims in joy that Christ has risen, and a hundreds of candles are light to symbolize the joy of Christs resurrection, followed by the taking of Eucharist.

    The Vigil is preceded by a procession outside the church in the Eastern religions. There is no light on when the procession leaves the church. A symbolic fruitless search for Christs body is conducted by the procession then announces joyfully, Christ has risen Hundred of candles and lamps are lit when the procession returns to the church to symbolize the splendor of Christs resurrection and the Eucharist for Easter is taken.

Major Easter Customs
Over 100 years, these religious observances have been supplemented by known customs, a lot incorporated from Middle Eastern pagan religion and spring time fertility celebration of the European.  For example rabbits and eggs are widely used by pagans as symbol for fertility. The Christians perceive the Easter eggs as a sign of celebration and joy as they were not allowed during the period of fasting, new resurrection and life. There are other Christian special days that are celebrated before the rising from the dead of Christ and these include Ash Wednesday, palm Sunday and Lent

Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a day of lent, a period of fasting which is a special opportunity that Christians use to focus on self discipline, self reflection and repentance. Its major ritual is placing of ashes on Christians forehead.

Palm Sunday
This is the last Sunday before Easter and the sixth Sunday of the lent period. It is a memorial of the triumphal entry of the son of God, Jesus, into Jerusalem. 

Lent
This is 40 day duration of fasting to focus on self discipline, self reflection and repentance in the preparation of the Easter Holiday. One is supposed to cleanse himself from the sin that he committed when approaching the holy period of Christs death and resurrection. This signifies the sacredness of Easter.  

Christmas Holiday
It is the celebration of the day Jesus was born, observed on 25th December. Different from Easter, Christmas is not marked with the earliest Christians. The late 3rd Centaury AD is when it began to be observed.

History of Christmas
Since the early fourth centaury, Christians have celebrated the birth of Jesus on 25th December. In Rome, 336 AD, 25th December was the first evidence of Christs birth being observed. The early Christians appear to commemorate the baptism, resurrection of Christ and the death of the martyrs but not the nativity.

Justin Martyr, few early Christians opposed strongly the engagement in festivities of the birth of Christ claiming that only the Herod and Pharaoh mark their birthdays with celebration in the bible. The Origen exchange views forcefully that birthday were for pagans.

The Christmas Date
The then-common procedure of allegorical theology justified that Jesus must have been born the same day God created the sun. Todays scholarship approximate the year Christ was born from seven to four BC. Gospel narrative provides no identification as to the date but they do seem to say that it was not in the winter. Luke describes the shepherds were keeping watch there flocks by night and this was not in the month of cold winter but as early as 273 AD, Christians from the western part decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on 25th December. It may be expected to arise from the desire to have a specific day for the celebration of the birth of Christ. 

Christmas Customs
Besides the date, other features of this day owe their origin to the celebration of the pagan, such as the gift giving, the lights and the tree. Though occasionally todays maligns, the Christian appropriation of the non believers customs would have been regarded definite by Christians of the early time as a defeat over paganism and a way to convert more souls.

Religious Observance
It centers a round special services of worship which are described by the extensive use of candle light and frequently held at night. Mid night masses is celebrated where Christ was born in the ancient Church of Nativity.
An additional well known semi religious observance is the singing of the Christmas carols in the church and door to door in ones vicinity.