What to do on Easter?

[Jamie_L]

Being the parent of two young children, and husband to someone who isn't very religious (though she's not an atheist), Easter for that past few years has been the traditional egg-painting, candy-hunting, Easter Bunny kind of thing. This year, however, the wife and kids will be out of town, since Easter isn't all that important to us, and it was the best time for the trip. I will be home alone.

This didn't phase me at first, as I usually have quite a bit of fun being the bachelor for a few days. But, Easter being what it is, and all my friends having local family (unlike me) that they'll be wanting to spend Easter with, I'll be extra alone on that particular Sunday.

So, I set about thinking what I should do with myself on this year's "Back-from-the-dead Day". Given the absence of my better half, who usually keeps my wilder side balanced, I thought "Heck, I should take this opportunity to be a good, solid heretic. I should find something particularly not-Easter-ish to do. While that sounds good in theory, in practice, my attempt at a list of possibilities has turned out very short.

Anyone got any good ideas? Anyone doing anything especially interesting and poignant this Easter?

Just trolling for ideas.

Later,

Jamie

[Viti]

I usually do something to celebrate Spring on easter...something outdoors. Last year we went down to the river and hiked around.

[lisarea]

A double feature of Passion and Passion II: Dawn of the Dead?

[Face]

Originally posted by lisarea
A double feature of Passion and Passion II: Dawn of the Dead?

Is that sequel the one where the dead Jesus comes back as a brain-eating zombie?

Zombie Jesus: "Braaaaiiiins! I bring salvation for your Braaaaiiins!"

[McGargoyle]

I will protest the story of the resurrection by explicitly not rising.
Well it's really more about sleeping in, but as long as I can pin a deeper meaning to my laziness, why not?:D

[Writer@Large]

Seriously, treat it as a normal day off. Get some work done around the house, rent some movies you've been wanting to see, surf the forums, and relax. Find a store that's open (there's more every year) and do a little shopping, just to let them know that you're glad they're staying open and to make it worth their while to ignore the holiday.

--W@L

[clark]

Two atheist organizations, American Atheists and The Atheist Alliance, have their conventions Easter weekend as a) hotel rates are cheap (a Wyndham for $59) and b) atheists don't have anything else to do.

[shameless plug]

I am speaking at the Atheist Alliance Convention in Colorado Springs the morning of Easter Saturday. It'll be the seventh time I've given my "The Increase in Atheism and Religious Satire in Popular Media: A Multimedia Presentation" thingy. See www.atheistalliance.org for more info.

[/shameless plug]

THOUGHTfully Yours,
Clark

[ratherGroggy]

I like what McGargoyle said, myself. Kind of punny.

But, being just a normal teenager I will just:
[list=1]
Sleep in.
Watch some TV while I eat breakfast (during lunch-time, of course).
Go outside, I've been wanting to get some fresh air.
Call up some friends in the evening (my friends aren't Atheist, nor Agnostic, but Easter is not celebrated exclusively in their familes).
Treat the rest of the day as I would any day off school. :D
[/list=1]

So, nothing special for me. If the Zoo is open I may try and get up there; me and a friend have been wanting to go.

[Silent Acorns]

I basically consider Good Friday and Easter to be a time to celebrate the passing of winter and the arrival of spring. Take the day off, enjoy the weather, hang out with friends and family, and last but not least, have some mind blowing sex in honour of Ishtar.

[AspenMama]

Originally posted by Jamie_L
So, I set about thinking what I should do with myself on this year's "Back-from-the-dead Day". Given the absence of my better half, who usually keeps my wilder side balanced, I thought "Heck, I should take this opportunity to be a good, solid heretic. I should find something particularly not-Easter-ish to do. While that sounds good in theory, in practice, my attempt at a list of possibilities has turned out very short.

Anyone got any good ideas?

I say plan a local Infidel Gathering. Pick a good downtown pub, set a time and post your party in The Lounge. Add a link to the pub's website and show up early to scout out atendees. Ask for folks to respond on your thread. :D

[AspenMama]

Originally posted by clark
I am speaking at the Atheist Alliance Convention in Colorado Springs the morning of Easter Saturday. It'll be the seventh time I've given my "The Increase in Atheism and Religious Satire in Popular Media: A Multimedia Presentation" thingy. See www.atheistalliance.org for more info.

I'm going to try to come--- it's a bit pricey for me right now though. :( But I will PM you if I decide to drive down for the meeting-- perhaps I can buy you a beer and introduce you to our fellow Colorado Internet Infidels. :)

[clark]

Originally posted by AspenMama
I'm going to try to come--- it's a bit pricey for me right now though. :( But I will PM you if I decide to drive down for the meeting-- perhaps I can buy you a beer and introduce you to our fellow Colorado Internet Infidels. :)

Great! I've met Dr. Rick and Jacey (the female Jacey who is Rick's covivant, not that bald military guy in N'awlins :) ) and, of course, Secular Jeff. I'd love to meet other Colorado infidels.

I've had the opportunity to meet some IIDBers when I've given the speech, which is most cool as the Media & Popular Culture forum provided a lot of material I use in the presentation.

The conference fee is a bit high, but it does include meals. They have "partial registrations" listed here (http://www.freethinkerscs.com/events.html). FWIW, students get in free.

Edit to add: my presentation is scheduled for late morning Saturday.

Hope you can make it!

THOUGHTfully Yours,
Clark

[AspenMama]

Clark-- the information has been sent around to all the Colorado Infidels via our little group email thing. If I come, I'll set up a meeting spot and let you know.

Too bad single working mamas can't get in free too.... :(

[Vandrare]

Originally posted by Jamie_L

Anyone got any good ideas? Anyone doing anything especially interesting and poignant this Easter?


have a nice relaxing holiday, and watch the life of brian :D

:-D Anna

[sensate]

Eat chocolate bunnies. Eat 'em til you puke. Happy Easter!:)

[CheeseheadHeathen]

Every year, I celebrate by:

1. Making tuna pasta salad, which is the taste of spring for me. When I was a kid, we ate this all summer. Just the taste of it makes me think warm weather is coming.

2. Drink iced tea (made from Nestee powder). Again, a summer tradition when I was a kid and a sign of warm weather ahead

3. Watch dopey bible movies. I've no idea why, but I enjoy those old technicolor bible movies to no end.

4. Paint my nails a nice spring-y color. I am pretty sure you're a guy, so this may not be your cup of tea.

The bottom line--for me, easter = spring. I live in Wisconsin, so ANY way to convince myself that it's going to stop being 30 degrees is a good thing.

[Vicar Philip]

[list=1]
Drink beer. Lots of it.
Construct a cross in your back yard. Hang from it.
Dig yourself a tomb. Roll away the rock and exit, refreshed.
Turn some water into wine (or beer). See #1.
Find a fig tree. Curse it. Take a piss on it. Fuckin' thing.
Profess to hate your family. Take it back.
Go to the mall. Say "Truly I tell you." A lot.
Color some easter eggs. Put the Star of David on them.
Repeat #1.
[/list=1]

[rustypouch]

Drink.

Not just a few, but get rip-roarin'. stinkin' drunk.

[Boomeister]

Originally posted by Face
Is that sequel the one where the dead Jesus comes back as a brain-eating zombie?

Zombie Jesus: "Braaaaiiiins! I bring salvation for your Braaaaiiins!"

Jesus saves sinners and redeems them for valuable cash prizes! And all this time the prize he was trying to get was brains. That now makes sense.


Boomeister

[The Other Michael]

You could eat some hasenpeffer. (http://www.bearsinthekitchen.com/meat.html#anchor8319)

cheers,
Michael

[Cynical-Chick]

I thought the sequel was The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre...


I agree. Treat it like a normal day or just get drunk.

[Vandrare]

Originally posted by Cynical-Chick

I agree. Treat it like a normal day or just get drunk.

then it is just like a normal day!!! :D

:-D Anna

[Face]

Originally posted by Boomeister
Jesus saves sinners and redeems them for valuable cash prizes! And all this time the prize he was trying to get was brains. That now makes sense.

That and there's something masculine and badass about the thought of a film where the apostles are waiting patiently for the rise of the Lord, and CRASH zombie Jesus comes shambling through the wall and bites into Thomas's head, whereupon Peter pulls out his 12-gauge, says "Save THIS!" and blasts zombie Jesus across the room.

[Jamie_L]

Hah-hah. Zombie Jesus. That version of the story seems like it would have been more in keeping with the Old Testament. God sort of says, "Well, on second thought, this sacrifice really isn't good enough. Go back and slaughter some folk, then, maybe I'll save the rest of them."

As for the suggestion of mind-blowing sex: Well, since my wife will be hundreds of miles away, and we have a monogomous relationship, I won't be having any mind-blowing sex. Though I could rent some porn. I had thought that if I could find an open strip club, that supporting it's Nudity-on-Easter policy would be a moral obligation.

Probably I'll go with the get-rip-roaring-drunk suggestions. Too bad there aren't any fig trees in the area, because pissing on one would go well with the drinking-alot motif. I suppose I could go buy one of those fake ficus trees. Or maybe I'll just wonder into a Pier 1 and curse one of theirs. Too bad I'm on the other side of the country from the big atheist conventions. Maybe some other year.

I may also have to buy an atheist t-shirt to wear all day. Just for grins. :)

[Shake]

Originally posted by Jamie_L
I may also have to buy an atheist t-shirt to wear all day. Just for grins. :) Might I recommend this one (http://www.infidels.org/infidels/products/shirt.shtml)?

The day is bigger to some of my other family members (read: MIL), but my wife is working that day, so I think maybe I'll take my son out to the park or something. Perhaps Highland Park (http://www.monroecounty.gov/org215.asp?storyID=165), home of the annual Lilac Festival (http://www.lilacfestival.com/).

[Loki]

Jesus II: The Second Coming.

*poster of Jesus in jesus garb with a nice machinegun in hand*

Tagline: Last time, he died for your sins. This time, you're gonna die for his!

Seriously, though... Dye some eggs Saturday night. Eat an egg salad sandwich Easter morning. Go shopping. Take a nice soak in the tub.

[Kevin]

This is more a Good Friday sort of festivity, but here goes:

Make a Jesus piñata, and fill it with candy. Then invite some of the local kids over to re-enact the scourging of Jesus.

A fun time will be had by all. :D

[Demosthenes]

I saw Dawn of the Dead a hour ago, great movie and it actually made me scream a few times which is very very rare for me. For Easter...I may visit my sister in Rochester. I haven't seen her in a while and never been to her place in Rochester. I'm looking forward to it!

[dracon427]

What day is easter this year anyways?

[Kevin]

Sunday, of course. :p

The date is April 11th.

[Ego]

Nail a stuffed bunny to a cross and put it up in front of the church as an "Easter Desecration."

Or just eat choclate...movies...play computer games and do some serious fragging...or if you're not into computer games then do something you enjoy! You could...if you want to watch the movie 'Shaun of the dead' - Offical Website (http://uip.co.uk/romzom/) it seems quite funny and it's a british movie as well and they're always a good laugh ;) Or you could watch Dawn of the Dead or the Life of Brian.

[The Bearded One]

This is more a Good Friday sort of festivity, but here goes:

Make a Jesus piñata, and fill it with candy. Then invite some of the local kids over to re-enact the scourging of Jesus.

A fun time will be had by all. :D
:notworthy :notworthy

I love it! Maybe fill it with bread & wine instead. :D
Now where's my papier mache?

-- The Bearded One

(PS: this is my 100th post!)

[Jamie_L]

Make a Jesus piñata, and fill it with candy. Then invite some of the local kids over to re-enact the scourging of Jesus.

I like it. But the kids will have to come back on Sunday to get the candy. ;)

Jamie

[Clete]

Sorry for the slightly off-topic post, but this thread makes me think of my first Easter in Chicago:

I had just moved here about a week before Easter of 2001. My whole family was a thousand miles away and the one person I knew in the city was out of town that weekend. The night before Easter (Easter Eve?) I went out and bought some snacks and a six-pack of Old Style. When I the lady at the counter asked me if I was all ready for Easter, I pointed at the beer and said, "Just about."

I ended up spending Easter Sunday that year smoking pot, drinking beer and watching "El Mariachi". All and all a pretty nice way to spend the day. This year I think I'm going to go see the bands Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Rapture (kind of ironic that a band with their name should be playing on Easter I guess) at the Vic here in Chi-town. It should be a good show.

I highly recommed the holiday live music experience. I saw Slayer on Thanksgiving once, and boy was I thankful! ;)

OK, the rambling is over now ... I think ... Wait, where am I? How come I'm not wearing any pants?

[kciredor reprah]

Get you a fifth of something, anything, and get fucked up. That's what I'm doing.

Peace

[Z_Ryan]

I try to remember the deeply, deeply pagan origins of this holiday, and have a day celebrating this (The Bacchae! The Bacchae!). The idea of nature's rebirth, the concept of fertility, and letting loose and getting crazy! (Sadly, I just can't find a local drunken orgy; that would be the ideal way of celebrating the Vernal Equinox :cool: )

Easter, though, mostly means one thing to me: Cadbury Creme Eggs are back on sale! Jesus died so I may have Cadbury Creme Eggs! I guess he brought some good into the world after all. (Even if he's as historically real as the Easter Bunny.)

[xxthe_leewitxx]

Cadbury Creme Eggs are back on sale! Jesus died so I may have Cadbury Creme Eggs!Well, damn... when you put it that way, I almost feel inclined to say... PRAISE JESUS!! :D

Personally, the only thing I've done in celebration of easter for years and years is color eggs and take advantage of all the wonderful seasonal candy (Peeps, anyone?). You can go ahead and devil those eggs after you pretty-fy them, just for some extra-added EAC fun. ;)

[openeyes]

My seventeen-year-old son asked me a couple of weeks ago what we were doing for Easter. I said I had to work that weekend, so I wasn't doing much, but he and his little brother could do something.

He said his band instructor had an opportunity for some band members to play on Easter and make some money, like $100 or something. I asked him earlier today if he was participating and he said yes. They will be playing in a church someplace. I asked who else was going. He gave me three other names and then said with a grin, "Three atheists and a Jew".

I guess the "good Christian" types probably have plans with their families and declined the invitation. ;)

[mikester]

im sure that there are some public egg hunts or something like that. why dont you volunteer with them and help?

gets you out, meeting people, helping kids, and having some fun.

[itsallsemantics]

I plan on celebrating the dubious resurrection of Jesus by not rising until way after noon. :D

[ScarletBea]

It's a family tradition to get all together at my gran's house down south in the Algarve for the 3 days of easter, and I was feeling scared of that, not only because of being back to living in the same house as my parents, even if only for 3 days, but also because of my recent distance from the organised church.... what would I do when they asked, or whatever?

Thankfully my gf solved the problem :)
By staying with me until after Easter, and there not being room there at my gran's, and my mum's problem with her, I can stay at my home, have 3 wonderful work-free days, and do whatever I want, go wherever I/we want.
:)

I was a bit scared of letting the news out to my parents, but they kinda understood. Well, it wouldn't make much of a difference if they hadn't, but now everything's clear.

[Face]

For all intents and purposes, I intend to go to Red Lobster, maybe watch a movie. It's just another day in a religion-less life.

[Gunnaheave]

Well I can tell you what I and my siblings ae doing on Easter. We are celebrating Christmas.

[Speedy-Lube]

That's a Sunday, right?

Yea, I'll be at work.

Then I will probably watch 60 Minutes, then eat, then watch Aquateen Hunger Force, Space Ghost, Sealab, and Home Movies.

Then I might sleep.