I think a lot of us wear new clothes at Easter or at least have fun dressing up our kids or grandkids in brand new Easter outfits. But have you wondered why we wear new clothes for Easter? It is a long-standing tradition that goes clear back to the early Christians. It is believed that people wore white linen to identify with the resurrection of Christ. It’s easy to see how it can symbolize purity and the leaving behind of the dark, sinful past, looking ahead to a heavenly future made possible through Christ’s death and resurrection where our sins are washed “white as snow.”

In the early years of the fourth century, Emperor Constantine was responsible for setting a fixed date for the celebration of Easter. Before that, the dating of Easter was disputed and observed at different times of the year throughout the Roman world. Easter was an important holiday to Constantine, and he believed that such a sacred day should not be a cause of division but should be celebrated by all at the same time. Furthermore, Constantine is said to have required his court to wear all new clothes on Easter, and over time, wearing new clothes on Easter came to symbolize, for all Christians, the newness of life given to us by Christ.

Sometimes, the meaning may get lost in the pageantry. Irving Berlin’s famous “Easter Parade” song was inspired by churchgoers in New York City after the Civil War. People in their Sunday best would all leave the many churches that lined 5^th Avenue and walk down the street to dine, visit others, or just go for a stroll. This stroll was especially popular on Easter Sunday when dressmakers would actually sit on the street to sketch the latest fashions and reproduce them for stores soon after.

While those people most likely had forgotten the meaning behind new coats and dresses, I found it sad to read that the interest in the Easter Parade has died not because of an awareness of consumerism and pride, but because of a lack of interest in religion at all. So don’t let clothes, new or not, keep you from joining with others to celebrate the most important day of the year. New clothes can express our joy on Easter Sunday, but a new heart proclaims it every day of the year.

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