You probably just typed google when is easter sunday into your search bar because you’re trying to plan a brunch or wondering if you have that Monday off work. It’s okay. Everyone does it. In fact, it’s one of the most consistent annual spikes in search traffic because, honestly, the math behind Easter is a total mess for the average person to track.
Easter isn't like Christmas. It doesn't stay put.
For 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5.
If you feel like that’s early, you’re right. Last year was later. Next year will be different again. This jumping around happens because Easter is a "moveable feast," a term that sounds like a Hemingway novel but is actually a complex calculation involving the moon, the spring equinox, and a 4th-century decree from a bunch of bishops in what is now Turkey.
The Council of Nicaea and the Moon Problem
Back in 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea decided that Easter should be observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. They wanted to ensure that all Christians celebrated at the same time, but they also wanted to keep it independent of the Jewish Passover, even though the two are historically linked.
Here is where it gets weird.
The "equinox" used for the calculation isn't the astronomical one that scientists track with telescopes. It’s a fixed date: March 21. Even if the sun actually crosses the celestial equator on March 20, the Church sticks to the 21st. Then you have to wait for the Paschal Full Moon. If that full moon hits on a Sunday, Easter is actually the following Sunday.
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It’s a literal lunar lottery.
Because of this, Easter can land anywhere between March 22 and April 25. If you’re looking at your calendar for 2026, April 5 sits right in the "sweet spot" of spring. It's early enough that you might still have a chill in the air in the Northern Hemisphere, but late enough that the daffodils are usually doing their thing.
Why Do We Keep Asking Google Every Year?
We ask because the Gregorian calendar—the one on your phone—is a solar calendar. It tracks the earth's trip around the sun. But Easter is tethered to a lunar cycle.
Since the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, the dates never line up. You can't just memorize a date. You have to look it up. This is why google when is easter sunday becomes a top-trending phrase every single spring. We are humans living in a digital world still governed by ancient agricultural and celestial timing.
The Western vs. Orthodox Split
There is another layer to this. If you have friends in Greece, Ethiopia, or Ukraine, they might not be hunting eggs on April 5, 2026.
The Eastern Orthodox Church often uses the Julian calendar to calculate their dates. While the West (using the Gregorian calendar) lands on April 5 this year, the Orthodox Easter often falls a week or even a month later. In 2026, however, there is a rare alignment. Both Western and Orthodox Easters will actually fall on the same day: April 5.
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This doesn't happen often. It's a logistical win for families that bridge both traditions. No double-buying chocolate. No trying to explain to kids why the Easter Bunny visited twice.
The Economic Impact of a "Floating" Holiday
Retailers actually hate how much Easter moves. When Easter is in March, the "spring shopping season" is truncated. People aren't ready to buy patio furniture or summer dresses when there’s still snow on the ground. When it's in late April, like it was in 2011 (April 24), retailers rejoice because they have more time to sell plastic grass and pastel-colored Peeps.
For 2026, an April 5 date is a bit of a gamble for the fashion industry. It's a "mid-range" Easter.
According to data from the National Retail Federation, Americans spend over $20 billion on Easter annually. A huge chunk of that is candy, but a surprisingly large portion is clothing. If the weather is still grey on April 5, those sales dip. We’re basically letting the phases of the moon dictate the quarterly earnings of major department stores.
Planning Your 2026 Spring Break
Since you’re already searching google when is easter sunday, you’re likely looking at travel.
Schools usually tie their spring breaks to either the month of March or the week surrounding Easter. With Easter falling on April 5, expect a massive "travel peak" starting Friday, March 27, through Sunday, April 12.
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If you want to avoid the crowds, look for flights in the "dead zone" of early May. If you're heading to Europe, keep in mind that many countries treat Easter Monday (April 6, 2026) as a federal holiday. Shops will be closed. Trains will be on a Sunday schedule. You don't want to be the tourist standing outside a closed Louvre because you forgot to check the liturgical calendar.
Common Misconceptions About the Date
A lot of people think Easter is the third Sunday in April. It’s not. Others think it’s always the Sunday after Passover. Usually, but not always. Because the Jewish calendar is also lunar but follows different intercalation rules (leap months), Passover and Easter can occasionally drift apart by nearly a month.
In 2026, Passover begins at sundown on Thursday, April 2. This means the Last Supper—historically associated with the Seder—aligns fairly closely with the actual holiday weekend this year. It makes the historical narrative feel a bit more cohesive for those who follow the religious aspects of the season.
How to Prepare for April 5, 2026
Stop searching and start marking.
The biggest mistake people make with an early-to-mid April Easter is forgetting that Ash Wednesday and Lent move with it. For 2026, Ash Wednesday lands on February 18. If you’re giving up caffeine or chocolate, your countdown starts in the dead of winter.
Actionable Steps for 2026:
- Book Travel Now: Since 2026 sees both Eastern and Western traditions celebrating on April 5, international flights to "pilgrimage" cities like Rome, Jerusalem, and Athens will be booked out way in advance.
- Check School Calendars: Don't assume your kid's spring break is the week after Easter. Many districts are moving to a fixed "second week of April" break to avoid the chaos of the shifting holiday.
- Order Supplies by Early March: If you’re a fan of specific seasonal items (looking at you, Cadbury Creme Eggs), the shelves usually start thinning out two weeks before the big day. Since April 5 is early in the month, many people will be caught off guard.
- Plan for Weather: Statistically, early April in the Midwest and Northeast is unpredictable. If you're planning an outdoor egg hunt, have a "Plan B" living room setup ready.
Easter 2026 is going to be a unique one because of that rare calendar alignment between the East and West. It’s a moment where, for once, almost everyone is on the same page. Mark April 5 on your calendar, set a reminder for February 18 for Lent, and you can stop asking Google for at least another twelve months.