Easter to us means a holiday

HOLY TIME: Pope Francis in St Peter's Square at the Vatican this week. Only half of adelaidenow respondents said they would celebrate the Christian meaning of Easter this weekend. Picture: AP Source: adelaidenow

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MANY are critical of the commercialisation of Easter but embrace the holiday as a much-needed break from work and a time to spend with family.

An adelaidenow survey of 2308 people found more than 80 per cent of respondents believed Easter had become too commercialised, including only 6 per cent who said they were looking forward to chocolate the most.

Instead, about 40 per cent - or 920 people - said the long weekend was the most important part of Easter, ahead of 30 per cent of respondents who nominated the Christian meaning of Jesus's resurrection.

"It is a great excuse to see family and friends - celebrating and having fun with them," one person wrote.

Another wrote: "(I will be) catching up with family and getting stuff done around the house."

For most people - about 1707 respondents - this meant spending the weekend at home. Most said this was because they needed a rest at home, could not afford a holiday, did not want to deal with traffic or had work commitments.

 The majority - 1503 people - said this would result in spending no more than $200 over the long weekend.

But more than 18 per cent said they would exceed this by spending up to $500.

"I'll be catching up on paperwork - as a sole trader it's a task that needs to be done," one person wrote.

Another wrote: "I prefer to catch up with family (and) avoid the holiday crowds."

More than 90 per cent of respondents said they supported police blitzes on drivers during the long weekend.

The sample group was divided in its religious beliefs. Only half of respondents said they would be among those celebrating the Christian meaning of Easter.

Only 556 people said they would definitely attend church and about 60 per cent said they would eat meat today.

But the majority - 1350 respondents - said despite our multicultural society, it was not wrong to have public holidays to mark one religion's holy periods as it marked the nation's religious traditions.

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Leaders urge back to basics for Easter

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• TELL US: Why don't we identify with the Christian meaning of Easter?

CHURCH leaders have urged South Australians to use the Easter message as inspiration to overcome our materialistic culture, as an adelaidenow survey reveals widespread apathy about the holiday's religious meaning.

Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Church leaders say the Easter story of Jesus's resurrection symbolises the need to look beyond the superficial.

They say true happiness is found by caring for others and addressing social issues - such as binge drinking or families under stress - regardless of religious beliefs.

It comes after an adelaidenow survey of more than 2300 people found only half celebrated the Christian meaning of Easter, while only 556 respondents said they would definitely attend church this weekend.

Anglican Archbishop Jeffrey Driver says the "myth" of materialism has not delivered because after decades of unparalleled material wealth, many social indicators are still "deeply worrying".

"Binge drinking among our young is at almost epidemic levels," he writes in this year's Easter messages, published in The Advertiser today.

"We have higher levels of suicide among young males than in very poor countries.

"The number of children needing out of home care has risen alarmingly over the past 10 years - families are under stress."

Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson says the newly-elected Pope Francis has asked all Catholics to examine their consciences and think about how they can be less materialistic.

"The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ shows us all - Christians and non-Christians alike - the power of love and reminds us that we find true peace and happiness from caring for, and making sacrifices, for each other," he said.

In today's Easter message, Archbishop Wilson reflects on the giving nature of Pope Francis, which has included washing the feet of HIV sufferers and campaigning against the unjust distribution of wealth in his home country.

"So at this historic time in the life of the church, and as we embark on the Easter journey - a time of renewal and hope - let us think about how we can make changes in our own lives that will enable us to bring the joy and mercy of Christ's message to the world that surrounds us today," he writes.

Pope Francis echoed this theme to his 2.1 million Twitter followers this week.

"To experience Holy Week is to enter more and more into God's logic of love and self-giving," he wrote.

Uniting Church SA moderator the Reverend Rob Williams said the Easter message was the "very antithesis of materialism".

"Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, giving up everything he possessed in life to die on the cross, believing completely in what God was calling him to do," he said.

"Easter is an important time to concentrate on our relationship with God and how this affects our relationships with family and others, rather than centring on material goods.

"In the extended holiday time, I encourage Christians to make the most of spending time with loved ones, family and friends as well as growing their relationship with God."

And he said non-Christians could gain just as much from the Easter message.

"Some claim to be religious but not Christian - people who claim to live their lives by Christian principles," he said.

"Maybe Easter could be a time for them to reaffirm their commitment to those principles and show this by a simple, restrained approach to Easter, rather than going down the materialistic path."

Baptist Churches of South Australia state executive minister the Reverend Mike Mills said Easter was more than an excuse to boost the confectionery industry and enjoy a long weekend.

Archbishop Driver said young people's passion for social justice, the environment and exploring spiritual questions gave him hope that many Australians were "waking up" to the issue of materialism.

"(Materialism) is superficial. It is irritating. And it sells," he writes.

"It sells because as a nation we have bought the myth that unless we fill our lives with stuff, our living will be empty and without meaning."

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Chocolatier hops into a busy Easter

Adelaide Chocolate School has been busy preparing chocolate eggs and bunnies for Easter. L-R James, 5 and sister Emily, 7. Picture: Noelle Bobrige Source: adelaidenow

THE Easter Bunny is in for a treat when he stops by Emily and James Hofmeyer's house this weekend.

The siblings are busily making a large chocolate Easter egg to leave out for the bunny this Sunday.

"Easter Bunny always leaves us eggs so this year we wanted to leave him something," Emily, 7, says.

"I love chocolate ... it's my favourite part of Easter."

Five-year-old James says his mum Anna, who owns the Adelaide Chocolate School in North Adelaide, has an important job to do before Easter.

"Mum works for the Easter Bunny," he says.

Ms Hofmeyer says she has been busy since January preparing "some really cool" Easter treats.

"There's never a dull moment when you work with chocolate, particularly in the lead up to Easter," Ms Hofmeyer, 34, says.

The Melbourne St-based school has had its chocolate making classes booked out in the lead up to the four-day holiday. Along with making more than 300 Easter eggs, the Campbelltown resident has made 5kg and 3kg chocolate Easter Bunnies.

"We do have a mould for a 12kg Easter egg as well," Ms Hofmeyer says. "We're constantly washing the windows because we find kids glue themselves to our front window to look at the chocolate."

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