Easter Monday. A time for Christians to continue celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, commemorated on Easter Sunday, and his ongoing presence on Earth. It is when millions of Americans pray and celebrate, yet Poly decides not to commemorate the day.
We need to make Easter Monday a school holiday. The arguments for the change are straightforward: just as with any other religious holiday, Easter Monday is an important time for Christian families to celebrate their faith and traditions. Although Easter Monday is not currently an officially required observance by most Christian denominations, it’s still a continuation of one of the holiest days in Christian tradition.
Easter Monday, often called the “Monday of the Angel” by Catholics, commemorates the second day of Eastertide. According to History.com, Easter Monday is a public holiday in Canada, Australia, various African countries and nearly all of Western Europe. For many, it is a day of relaxation and renewal, but at Poly, Christians must attend classes and do homework instead of celebrating a tradition that dates back centuries.
If Poly were to recognize Easter Monday, it would prompt Poly students to learn and understand the significance of the celebration. For example, when I came to Poly, I had little knowledge of other religious holidays, such as Ramadan or Yom Kippur, and what they mean to their respective communities. When I was informed that school was off for Yom Kippur, I naturally became curious about the holiday and why it was important not just for Jewish people at Poly but for people everywhere in the world. By recognizing Easter Monday, Poly would not only acknowledge its importance to Christians, but it would also encourage other students to learn more about Easter and why Christians celebrate it.
According to a study conducted by the National Retail Federation in 2025, 79.4% of U.S. adults were planning to celebrate Easter, while the percentage of adults who identify as Christian remains around 63%. When accounting for the population of the US, that’s around 44 million who still celebrate Easter outside of a religious connotation.
Every Easter Monday, the White House holds an inaugural egg roll down the White House green. While these ceremonies are light-hearted fun for kids around Washington D.C., they’re a clear indicator that Easter is more than just a Christian holiday. It’s become American culture to celebrate and participate in local Easter revelries.
On a more practical note, Easter Monday could provide a buffer day for Poly students and teachers. During Easter weekend, many families travel to see relatives and celebrate together. According to a Yahoo news report, millions of Americans traveled this Easter weekend despite high gas prices and poor weather in parts of the country. Spending the weekend in a different state or even a different country, many families have to rush back to make it to school on Monday. Having to leave on Easter Sunday forces people to cut short their time with family and friends and travel during a religious holiday. If Poly gave Easter Monday off, families could spend the full weekend celebrating with their families and travel back on Monday, arriving back in time for school the next day.
From the pews of local churches to White House lawn to the bedrooms of jet-lagged students, Easter Monday means something, and it’s time Poly started acting as it does.
