If you’re trying to figure out when is Easter 2025, you probably noticed it feels a bit "late" this year. It's true. Last year, we were hunting eggs in March. This time around, the holiday doesn't show up on the calendar until deep into April. Specifically, Easter Sunday falls on April 20, 2025.
Why does this happen? It’s honestly kind of a headache if you like a consistent schedule. Unlike Christmas, which is anchored to a fixed date, Easter is a "movable feast." It dances around the calendar based on a mix of lunar cycles and ancient ecclesiastical rules. For 2025, that dance lands us right in the heart of spring, which is great for garden parties but potentially tricky for spring break travel planning.
The Weird Science Behind the Date
Most people think it’s just random. It isn't. The date is determined by the computus, which is just a fancy Latin way of saying "calculation." Essentially, the Council of Nicaea decided way back in A.D. 325 that Easter should be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.
In 2025, the spring equinox is March 20. The first full moon after that—the "Paschal Full Moon"—doesn't arrive until Sunday, April 13. Since Easter has to be the following Sunday, we land on April 20.
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It gets even more complicated if you look at the Orthodox calendar. Because they often use the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian one, their dates sometimes align and sometimes don't. Interestingly, in 2025, both Western and Orthodox Easter actually fall on the same day. That’s a rare alignment that won’t happen again for several years. It basically means the entire world is celebrating on the same weekend, so expect international flights to be packed and hotel prices to skyrocket.
What This Means for Your Travel Budget
You’ve got to be smart about this. Since April 20 is quite late, it overlaps with several other major events. You have Passover beginning on the evening of April 12 and ending on April 20. Then you’ve got typical school spring breaks.
If you are planning a trip to a major hub like Rome or Jerusalem, you are looking at peak "peak" season. Prices for airfare to Europe in mid-April 2025 are already trending 15-20% higher than the early March averages. Honestly, if you haven't booked your accommodation by now, you might want to look at "shoulder" destinations. Think about places like Portugal or even parts of Greece where the weather is turning beautiful but the crowds might be slightly more manageable than the chaos of Vatican City.
Weather Realities for April 20
Late April is a gamble. In the Northern Hemisphere, you’re usually safe from the "April Showers" trope, but it’s still transition weather. In Washington D.C., the cherry blossoms will likely be long gone by April 20, as they usually peak in late March. However, in northern states or the UK, this later date finally offers a decent chance of an outdoor brunch without needing a heavy wool coat.
The Cultural Shift in 2025
We are seeing a massive shift in how people handle the holiday. It’s becoming less about just the Sunday morning and more about the "Spring Break Extension." Because April 20 is a Sunday, many corporate offices and schools will observe Monday, April 21 (Easter Monday) as a holiday.
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This creates a natural four-day weekend. Retailers are already pivoting their inventory. Expect to see outdoor living gear, patio furniture, and gardening tools pushed alongside the traditional chocolate rabbits. Since the holiday is so late, the "spring cleaning" and "outdoor DIY" vibes are much stronger than when Easter happens in a chilly March.
Food and Traditions: Beyond the Ham
If you’re hosting, the late date changes the menu. Usually, Easter is about heavy root vegetables and lamb. By April 20, 2025, we’ll be seeing the first real harvests of asparagus, ramps, and strawberries in many regions.
- Forget the frozen peas; go for fresh snap peas.
- Consider a lighter protein like sea bass or a glazed salmon if the weather hits that expected 70-degree mark.
- Use real spring flowers—tulips and peonies will be in their prime—rather than the forced hothouse lilies that dominate the March holidays.
A Note on Religious Significance
For those observing the liturgical season, Lent in 2025 begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5. This gives you a very long "pre-season." It’s a 40-day period of reflection that, because of the late Easter date, stretches through the entirety of March and more than half of April. Holy Week will begin with Palm Sunday on April 13, leading into Maundy Thursday on April 17 and Good Friday on April 18.
Strategic Planning Steps
To make the most of the April 20 date, you should focus on three specific areas right now.
First, check your local school district’s calendar. Many schools anchor their spring break to the Easter weekend, but others stick to a fixed week in March. If your kids are off in March and then have another long weekend for Easter in April, you have two separate opportunities for travel—or two separate child-care headaches to solve.
Second, audit your garden. A late April Easter is the perfect deadline for curb appeal. If you want the house to look good for family photos, you should be seeding and mulching in late March so the green is vibrant by the time the 20th rolls around.
Finally, book your dining reservations. In major cities, the "Sunday Brunch" is the busiest meal of the year. With the late date in 2025, people are more likely to travel to visit grandparents or extended family, meaning restaurants will hit capacity faster than they did in the previous two years. Aim to have your table secured no later than early March.
The 2025 holiday is unique because of that rare calendar synchronization between the East and West. It marks a moment where, regardless of tradition, a massive portion of the global population is on the move or at the table at the exact same time. Plan for the crowds, enjoy the warmer breeze, and capitalize on the fact that spring will actually feel like spring this time.