Easter has several similarities to a pagan festival. Ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with a festival commemorating their goddess of springtime, Eastre. Second-century Christian missionaries attempted to convert them to Christianity. They did so by making a Christain holiday of Easter that coincide with their pagan Eastre celebrations. The missionaries changed the celebration later into present day Easter. The early name, Eastre, was eventually changed to Easter too.

Before A.D. 325, Easter was celebrated on different days of the week instead of on a Sunday like today. In A. D. 325, the Council of Nicaea under emperor Constantine issued the "Easter Rule". It states that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon and on or after the vernal equinox. An ecclesiastical full moon does not always occur on the same date as the astronomical full moon. The ecclesiastical "vernal equinox" is always on March 21. Therefore, Easter must be celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 and April 25.

Lent is the forty-six day period just prior to Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras or "Fat Tuesday" is a celebration of the upcoming Lent in New Orleans. Another well know upcoming Lent celebration is Carnival in Brazil. Both celebrations are held on the Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday. They both have many costume parades, bead throwing, and costume balls. The purpose of both celebrations is to party before the sacrifices of Lent began. A person celebrates Lent by fasting and praying.