Spring is an important time of year for many cultures of the world. When the winter snow and ice melt, there is a rebirth of nature.

For Judaism, Islam and Christianity, also known as the big three religions of the world, spring is especially important. This year is exceptionally special because all three holidays fall on the same month.

I wrote about Ramadan for the Islamic faith in one of my recent articles, so today I will focus on what Passover means for Judaism and likewise Easter for Christianity.

The reason these holidays generally don’t fall in line with each other is simply due to different calendars.

Easter is celebrated the Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox, which means dates can vary from late March to late April.

Ramadan for Muslims follows the Lunar calendar, and therefore falls 10 to 12 days earlier each year.

Passover is celebrated at the same time each year for seven or eight days depending on your circumstance.

Passover commemorates the Hebrews’ liberation from Egypt and recognizes the suffering they went through during their slavery. A grand meal called Seder is eaten on the first day and traditional prayers are said over symbolic foods, according to Britannica.com.

It is called Passover because, in the Book of Exodus, the Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Hebrews and spared their firstborn children.

Passover is considered a time to recite prayers from the Haggadah, a Jewish text that acts as a written guide for the Seder, according to MyJewishLearning.com.

Easter represents the resurrection of Christ. After his Crucifixion, it is said that Jesus rose from his tomb three days after his death.

These holidays can remind us to be humble and remember what is most important. Family.

Sunday, my family and I celebrated Easter. In my opinion, it is the most important holiday of the Christian faith and a little less pompous than Christmas.

My family isn’t particularly religious, except for my dad’s parents, who attended Easter mass. Most of us, myself included, use Christian holidays as an excuse to give gifts, visit each other and binge whatever good food fits the season. I like to think that my family’s Easters are slightly more special than they probably are.

One tradition we do annually includes taking my mom’s parents for a drive and looking at the neighborhoods in Portland, which are overinflated in both price and style. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Dutch colonial, but some of those mansions are big enough to be a school.

Sometimes my Dad and I will go on a bike ride together if the weather is nice. This year was, unfortunately, cold. Though we couldn’t ride our bikes together, spending time with my dad still meant a lot.

We went straight back home and continued to help my sister with her special bunny-shaped deviled eggs. She added radishes for the ears and nose, olives for the eyes and chives for the whiskers.

She also made mini caprese salads which were supposed to look like ladybugs, but ended up looking a bit more like snails. They were still adorable and delicious though.

Another family tradition stemming from my grandma on my dad’s side is the Weisswurst. Literally translating to “white sausage” in German, we have this tasty meat as the main portion of the dish or in addition to ham with sauerkraut and mustard.

This year was especially important because this would be the first time my little sister Lindsey brought her boyfriend over to the house. For the first time, my dad got to intimidate one of his girls’ boyfriends. This has been a dream of his since he first became a father.

My dad’s parents and his brother finally arrived and the binge began. Sausage, scalloped potatoes, ham, salad and deviled eggs were eaten by everyone. Lastly, and most importantly was the dessert.

Both of my grandmothers are excellent bakers. This Easter we had two options; lemon meringue or apple pie. Unfortunately for my health, I am a sucker for dessert, so you can bet I had some apple pie a la mode.

Of course, when we were little, there were the Easter egg hunts and little baskets that the Easter Bunny, AKA my grandma, put together for us. Now that my sisters and I are older, we don’t get those extravagant kids activities, but one game my family has never failed to play is the egg fight.

Two people hold their hard-boiled eggs and fight to see who’s egg is strongest. They both try to crack their opponent’s egg first. Whoever wins gets bragging rights.

Seeing my family means the world to me. I always try to find any type of excuse to visit them, and fortunately, the drive isn’t super long so I can afford to do so.

For those whose families are too far away, using WSU’s resources can be a great way to find your community.

Over the course of my career at the Daily Evergreen, I have covered many groups that welcome people from different cultures. Any of them would love to see different faces at their general meetings. Go to wsu.presence.io to find your group!