What Is Easter? Why the Date Moves and What to Send

September 6, 2026

Easter Sunday is the one big occasion in the calendar with no fixed date. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, which puts it anywhere between 22 March and 25 April.

Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland has Good Friday but not Easter Monday as a general holiday. For most families the practical meaning is a four-day weekend, a roast and a lot of chocolate.

Here is how the date works, what happens across the weekend, and what to write if you send a card.

How the date is worked out

This guide suits busy family planners who want to coordinate their spring calendars well in advance. Use this breakdown when you are booking annual leave or coordinating family gatherings across the UK. A practical tip is to note the moving date in your diary every January so you never get caught out by an unexpectedly early bank holiday weekend.

Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March.
That places it between 22 March and 25 April each year.
Good Friday is the Friday before, Easter Monday the day after.
Mothering Sunday, three weeks earlier, moves with it, because both sit in the church calendar.

The weekend in practice

This practical breakdown suits anyone hosting relatives or organising children over the four-day bank holiday. Use these daily suggestions when you are planning your meals and activities to keep the whole household happy. As a practical tip, always check your local supermarket hours beforehand, as large shops in England and Wales must close on the Sunday.

Good Friday: hot cross buns, and church services for those who go.
Easter Saturday: the last supermarket run before everything shuts.
Easter Sunday: egg hunts, a roast, and chocolate before breakfast.
Easter Monday: leftovers, a walk, and the school holidays continuing.

What to write in an Easter card

These messaging ideas suit anyone sending warm seasonal greetings to friends, family, or neighbours. Use this collection of sentiments when you are sitting down to write your spring cards. Our practical tip is to post your cards at least five days before Good Friday, as postal deliveries do not run on the bank holidays.

Happy Easter. Hope the chocolate lasts past Sunday lunch.
Wishing you a lovely Easter weekend with the people you like most.
Happy Easter from all of us — enjoy the long weekend.
Hope the egg hunt is fierce and the roast is enormous.
Happy Easter. Eat well, rest properly, and let someone else wash up.

Key things to remember

Post by the Tuesday of Easter week so it beats the bank holiday.
For children, write it so they can read it themselves.
A card with a small egg posts more cheaply than a boxed gift.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the date of Easter change every year?

It is set by the lunar calendar: the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so it moves between 22 March and 25 April.

Which Easter days are bank holidays in the UK?

Good Friday and Easter Monday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, Good Friday is observed but Easter Monday generally is not.

Do people send Easter cards?

Yes, mainly to children, grandparents and godchildren, often sent with or instead of an egg.

What is a good example of what is Easter? Why the date moves and what to send?

"Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March." is one of 13 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

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