If you’re trying to plan a vacation or just a decent family brunch, looking at the calendar for next year is going to feel a little bit like a prank. It's late. Like, really late.
Most years, we're hunting eggs while the March winds are still biting or during those first tentative April showers. But for anyone asking when is easter 2025, the answer is April 20. That is basically the tail end of the month. It’s nearly a full month later than the 2024 date, which fell on March 31.
Why does this happen? It’s not like Christmas. It doesn't just sit there on the 25th of December being predictable. Easter is what we call a "moveable feast," and it relies on a chaotic blend of lunar cycles, solar calendars, and a fair bit of 4th-century church politics.
Basically, if you feel like you can never remember when it is, don't worry. Nobody can. You have to look it up every single year because the math behind it is, frankly, kind of a headache.
✨ Don't miss: Why the One Shoulder Dress for Wedding Guest Outfits is Finally Taking Over
The actual math behind the April 20 date
To understand why we've landed on April 20, you have to look at the Council of Nicaea. Back in A.D. 325, a bunch of bishops decided that Easter should be the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.
Sounds simple? It’s not.
The "equinox" for the church is always fixed at March 21, even if the actual astronomical equinox fluctuates by a day or two. Then you have the Paschal Full Moon. In 2025, the astronomical full moon happens on Sunday, April 13. Since the rule says the following Sunday, we get pushed all the way to April 20.
It’s almost the latest possible date Easter can occur. The absolute latest is April 25, which hasn't happened since 1943 and won't happen again until 2038. So, 2025 is definitely an outlier in terms of being "late."
The impact on your spring schedule
This late date ripples through everything. Think about it. Lent doesn't even start until March 5 (Ash Wednesday). If you’re planning on giving up chocolate or social media for 40 days, you’ve got a long, cold winter to get through before your penance even begins.
Schools are also scrambling. Usually, Spring Break is tied to Easter weekend. With the holiday falling so late in April, many districts are faced with a choice: do they keep the break in March when the weather is potentially miserable, or do they push it to late April and risk having students completely checked out just weeks before final exams? Honestly, it’s a logistical nightmare for administrators.
Why the Eastern Orthodox date is different (again)
You might notice that your Greek or Russian friends are celebrating on a different day. Usually, there’s a gap. Sometimes it’s a week; sometimes it’s over a month.
However, 2025 is a rare "unity" year.
Because of the way the Gregorian and Julian calendars align with the lunar cycle next year, both Western and Eastern Christian churches will actually celebrate on the same day: April 20. This doesn't happen often. The last time was 2017, and after 2025, it won't happen again until 2028.
It’s a big deal for ecumenical relations. If you're in a city with a diverse population, like Chicago or New York, expect the bakeries to be absolutely cleaned out. Everyone is buying their tsoureki and their chocolate bunnies at the exact same time. Plan accordingly.
Real-world travel implications for April 2025
If you’re thinking about traveling, the late date of when is easter 2025 is actually a blessing in disguise.
March Easters are risky. You might get a blizzard in Denver or a rainy, 45-degree day in London. But April 20? That’s prime spring. The tulips in Holland will be at their peak. The cherry blossoms in D.C. might be lingering, or at least the city will be lush.
- Italy: Expect massive crowds. Rome is always busy, but a late-April Easter combined with the blooming Italian countryside makes it a magnet for pilgrims and tourists alike.
- The Caribbean: This is usually the "shoulder season" where prices start to dip, but the late holiday will likely keep high-season prices inflated through the end of April.
- Skiing: For the ski bums, a late Easter is a bummer. Most resorts in the Rockies try to stay open until mid-April, but by April 20, you're looking at "mashed potato" snow or even early closures unless it's a high-altitude spot like Arapahoe Basin.
The "Holiday Creep" and retail madness
Retailers hate a late Easter. Or they love it. It depends on who you ask.
When Easter is in March, it kickstarts spring spending early. People buy new clothes, gardening supplies, and patio furniture because the holiday forces them to think about spring. When it's as late as April 20, there's a weird "dead zone" in March where retail sales can slump.
But for the consumer? This is a win. You’ll likely see Easter candy and decor hitting the shelves in February, meaning by the time April 20 actually rolls around, some of that stuff might actually be on clearance if the store overstocked.
What most people get wrong about the date
A lot of people think Easter is tied to Passover, and while they are historically linked, they often don't line up. In 2025, Passover begins at sundown on Saturday, April 12 and ends on April 20.
So, for once, the calendars are actually in somewhat of a harmony. This creates a massive week of "Spring Holidays" that will likely see a significant percentage of the workforce taking time off. If you have a big project due at the end of April 2025, you might want to move that deadline.
🔗 Read more: The Real TFW Meaning in Text and Why You’re Probably Using It Wrong
Preparation Checklist for April 2025
Since we know the date is April 20, you can’t treat this like a normal year.
- Book your brunch now. I’m not even kidding. Because it’s so late in the season, people will be more inclined to eat outdoors, and those patio spots will be gone months in advance.
- Watch the flights. Since school breaks will be clustered around this late date, "Spring Break" flight pricing will likely extend much further into April than usual.
- Gardening timing. For those in temperate zones, Easter is often the "safe" time to plant. With an April 20 date, you’re almost certainly past the last frost, making it a perfect weekend for a major garden overhaul.
The reality of when is easter 2025 is that it gives us a longer "pre-season." We get more time to prepare, more time for the weather to warm up, and a rare moment where almost the entire world celebrates on the same Sunday.
Don't wait until March to look at your calendar. By then, the best travel deals and the best restaurant reservations will be long gone. Mark April 20 in red right now.
Actionable Steps for 2025 Planning
- Check School Calendars: Verify if your local district is following the holiday or sticking to a mid-March break to avoid being caught without childcare.
- Coordinate Multi-Faith Gatherings: Since Eastern Orthodox and Western dates coincide, reach out to family members who celebrate different traditions early to plan a joint event.
- Budget for "Peak" April: Adjust your travel budget for late April, as it will likely be priced as a "high" season rather than the typical mid-spring lull.
- Monitor Meat and Produce: Late Easters can sometimes see price spikes in lamb and fresh spring vegetables like asparagus; consider pre-ordering from a local butcher by late March.