Spring Holiday is a generic North American term sometimes used in place of Easter or Good Friday. Sometimes, "spring" or just "holiday" will replace Easter with combinations such as "The Spring Bunny" and "Spring Eggs."

This term is used primarily in the United States. The use of the term is controversial, as some Christians argue it is being used to avoid recognition of, or to secularize, a religious holiday.^[1] Supporters of the term argue that its use is an attempt to include non-Christians who may not celebrate the holiday in question, or to enforce a separation of Church and state.^[2]

Usage

The term "Spring Holiday" has been used by universities,^[3] grade schools,^[4] government offices,^[5][6][7] and public media.^[8] In 1999, in Bridenbaugh v. O'Bannon, an Indiana state employee sued the governor over giving state employees Good Friday as a day off. The US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the plaintiff, citing, in part, that referring to Good Friday as "Spring Holiday" was evidence of a secular purpose and therefore not unconstitutional.^[2][9]

While the term is often used to replace the name of Easter, some institutions use it for a springtime vacation that does not necessarily fall on a religious holiday, and others have attempted to include the Jewish holiday of Passover in their Spring Break.^[10]

Controversy

Some Christians view the use of this term as part of, or as an expansion of, the secularization of Christian holidays^[1] and claim that renaming this Christian holiday is an overzealous application of political correctness. After Good Friday and Christmas Day were replaced with "spring holiday" and "winter holiday" on the city calendar for Greencastle, Indiana, approximately 200 people protested against the name change, some by singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" at the council chambers. City councilman Mark Hammer said, during a meeting, ?I believe this was political correctness run amok. When we use the terms ?winter holiday? and ?spring holiday,? we?re not being inclusive, we?re being exclusive.?^[11]

As recently as the mid-2000s, some retailers and government establishments have renamed and relabeled the secular aspects of the Easter holiday, including the popular mythological Easter Bunny, even though these secular aspects—and the word "Easter" itself—are not necessarily associated with Jesus or Christianity. These secular events and traditions are still celebrated, only with the term "Spring" replacing "Easter." This alternative generic terminology includes "Holiday Bunny," "The Bunny," "Children's Egg-Hunt" and "Holiday Eggstravaganza."^[12]

See also

• Christmas controversy
• Easter Bunny
• Easter eggs

References

External links

• Spring Egg Hunt a popular tradition
• National Retail Foundation page on Easter/Passover spring holiday season
• Resources for Winter Holiday