Logistical problems
So a few friends and I were going to go shopping for bridesmaid dresses for mysticengineer's wedding. mysticengineer suggested that Sunday the 23rd, the Sunday after Purim (Jewish holiday coming up this Friday, for those who do not know) would be a good day for her. The rest of us agreed that it would be a good day.
Then, on Friday, as I was walking from one school to another, I noticed a grocery store sign that said it would be closed on Sunday the 23rd so that its employees can celebrate Easter. Later, I saw an ad for the Macy's flower show, and it, too, will be closed on Easter Sunday.
Right. Easter. Stores close.
Maybe we can't go to the bridal store after all. Oops.
Anyway, it was a weird realization, because I am not used to noticing that things close on Easter. For that matter, I forgot that Easter was even coming up. Oddly, I was incredibly aware of Good Friday, but totally forgot that Good Friday on the 21st meant Easter on the 23rd. Of course, why am I aware of Good Friday? Because it is a weekday and my schools are closed for it. Oh, and it also has the good fortune of being the same day as Purim, such that I don't have to take a day for Purim, since it happens to be a day off anyway.
I guess the thing is that, in the vast majority of years, Easter Sunday falls in the middle of Passover. So either we are too busy celebrating our own holiday to notice what the majority of the US is celebrating, or it is the middle of the holiday and I am home with my family, which lives in a county where the stores are still closed *every* Sunday, so Easter doesn't feel any different.
(by way of explanation to those who don't know: Passover is 8 days long and the first two days and the last two days are "holidays" in the full sense of the word - observed in pretty much the same fashion as the Jewish Sabbath - no doing "work", including e-mail, driving a car, shopping, etc. The days in the middle are only half-holidays, in a sense. There is still celebration going on, but most of that "work" is allowed - which makes it a wonderful time to go shopping at the mall, or go see the circus, or whatever.)
Anyway, this is the first year in a long time where Easter has fallen on a "normal" Sunday for me, in a sense. And it's weird.
Then, on Friday, as I was walking from one school to another, I noticed a grocery store sign that said it would be closed on Sunday the 23rd so that its employees can celebrate Easter. Later, I saw an ad for the Macy's flower show, and it, too, will be closed on Easter Sunday.
Right. Easter. Stores close.
Maybe we can't go to the bridal store after all. Oops.
Anyway, it was a weird realization, because I am not used to noticing that things close on Easter. For that matter, I forgot that Easter was even coming up. Oddly, I was incredibly aware of Good Friday, but totally forgot that Good Friday on the 21st meant Easter on the 23rd. Of course, why am I aware of Good Friday? Because it is a weekday and my schools are closed for it. Oh, and it also has the good fortune of being the same day as Purim, such that I don't have to take a day for Purim, since it happens to be a day off anyway.
I guess the thing is that, in the vast majority of years, Easter Sunday falls in the middle of Passover. So either we are too busy celebrating our own holiday to notice what the majority of the US is celebrating, or it is the middle of the holiday and I am home with my family, which lives in a county where the stores are still closed *every* Sunday, so Easter doesn't feel any different.
(by way of explanation to those who don't know: Passover is 8 days long and the first two days and the last two days are "holidays" in the full sense of the word - observed in pretty much the same fashion as the Jewish Sabbath - no doing "work", including e-mail, driving a car, shopping, etc. The days in the middle are only half-holidays, in a sense. There is still celebration going on, but most of that "work" is allowed - which makes it a wonderful time to go shopping at the mall, or go see the circus, or whatever.)
Anyway, this is the first year in a long time where Easter has fallen on a "normal" Sunday for me, in a sense. And it's weird.