BYU–Hawaii's diverse campus is a perfect place to see the different ways Easter is celebrated in different ways around the world, shared Youngkwang Kwon.
Kwon, a sophomore from Korea majoring in English and education, said because Korea does not have a lot of Christian people, he likes to focus on Christ-centered activities and give as much meaning to the holiday as possible.
He shared his favorite part about the Easter holiday is “the remembrance of Christ” and the gathering of his family. On Easter, Kwon explained, he and his family always eat hard-boiled eggs and have dinner with family.
In addition to carrying on this tradition, Kwon said he hopes to celebrate Easter with his future family by participating in more Christ-centered activities to remember the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Honoring ancestors
Vilai Ilolahia, a freshman from Tonga majoring in political science, said Easter is a very public holiday in his home country. "Everyone would go to church, and you'd never see any stores open."
Attending church on Easter is important in Tongan culture because it represents their faithfulness, he explained. For Ilolahia and his family, Easter is a day to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ and recognize the joys he can experience in this life because of it, said Ilolahia. In addition, he said Easter brings families closer together, including his own.
Aside from attending church, his entire extended family would go to the cemetery together and visit their grandfather, said Ilolahia. In addition, he said Easter and New Year's Eve are the only two holidays where his family’s church would administer the sacrament.
Ilolahia said he hopes to carry on the tradition of spending time with his future family on Easter by doing things, like going to the beach. He shared he wants to center the day around Christ by teaching his family why the Atonement happened and what it means for all of God's children.
Gathering with loved ones
Milazel Pattaguan, a freshman from the Philippines, majoring in psychology, said she chooses to celebrate Easter to commemorate the life, death, resurrection and Atonement of Jesus Christ. Back home in the Philippines, Pattaguan said she spends Easter with her family. One of her childhood memories is her parents not allowing her family to eat meat, she shared.
However, when her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they stopped following that tradition of another faith, said Pattaguan. She said she recalls the importance of reverence observed on Easter. This meant her family wouldn’t go out, participate in entertainment or engage in loud laughter, Pattaguan shared.
Instead, her family would stay inside their home and think about how the Atonement of Jesus Christ affects their lives, she said. When she has a family of her own, Pattaguan said she hopes to host a family home evening centered around the Atonement and church-centered traditions.
She said she would also love to have a movie night with her family, where the movie is about Christ. Finally, Pattaguan said she wants to go swimming in the ocean because she said, “Back home, if the whole family goes to the beach and swims, it’s a symbol of repentance.” This allows the family to focus on their covenants and beliefs, said Pattaguan.
Hunting Easter eggs
Alyssa Petty, a sophomore from Salt Lake City, Utah, majoring in exercise & sport science, said she celebrates Easter because it focuses on remembering the life of Christ. She explained, “It’s kind of like Christmas, but we focus more on the resurrection.”
Petty celebrates Easter with her mom, stepdad, and grandparents. She said her favorite part about this holiday is the undeniable joy it brings her family. Easter "brings joy that other holidays don't," Petty added.
One Easter tradition Petty said she loves is when she and her siblings receive Easter baskets. She shared how her family paints hard-boiled eggs and hunts for hidden Easter eggs. “We still do Easter egg hunts even though I'm in college,” said Petty.