Cheers to Easter Traditions: Why We Love Going to the Pub at Easter
The scent of spring in the air, the sound of laughter mingling with church bells, the promise of a fresh beginning—all typical associations with Easter. Yet, for us Brits, Easter has a unique calling that resonates from coast to coast, not just for believers who want to celebrate the promise of resurrection, but in communal traditions, too – like going to the pub. Now that might cause a few raised eyebrows, but we’ve woven this regular family outing into the tapestry of our Easter holiday plans: a heartwarming mix of family, feast, and the odd frothy pint that help bring it all together.
Unveiling the Easter Spirit in the Alehouses
The British love affair with the local public house is of course a year-round thing. However, Easter seems to sprinkle a special charm, ushering whole families into their locals. So, what propels this endearing pilgrimage to the pub during Easter?
Well, British culture is steeped in symbolism. While Easter here is (depending on who you ask) as strongly about religion as it is about chocolate bunnies, the time of year does offer a sense of renewal. Crocuses and daffodils are well and truly back, the days are getting longer, Summer feels just around the corner and for many, that’s more than a good enough reason to step over the threshold of their local inn. Plus if you’re otherwise going to end up responsible for a mountain of dishes to wash after an Easter Sunday at home, well… why not let someone else take care of the washing up, eh? After all, Easter wouldn’t be the same without a roast.
A Roast Dinner Tradition, Reimagined
The core of Easter dining in Britain is the legendary roast dinner—crispy on the outside, succulent on the inside, complete with all the trimmings. Yet, it’s not just the meal but the experience which tells the tale of family life, gathered around a hefty table in a local pub. What might be a simple meal out for some has morphed into an essential rite marking the Bank Holiday weekend for others.
The roast dinner has long been a fixture in British cuisine. But in the pub, it becomes more than a meal. It’s a feast, a celebration, an occasion that envelops the essence of togetherness, creating new and renewing old bonds over good food and carefully poured pints. Families lean in, elders bestow wisdom, children scoot into the garden to run around and maybe hunt some Easter eggs, while the pub itself echoes with life, the Sunday crowd more vibrant than usual.
Easter: A Time for the Old, a Time for the New
The beauty of Easter in the pub lies in the fact that it's a holiday that nods to tradition; it's also a time for making new memories, all while keeping one eye open for the Easter Bunny. If you’re looking to start a new tradition of your own, you can do much worse than checking out pubs near you using our handy pub finder – where we’ve gathered together some of the best pubs open during Easter.
The charm of Easter at the British pub is its unpretentious atmosphere, where the lines blur between stranger and friend, and distinctions for a moment disappear. It's a holiday of hearth and heritage, a tale of specially printed Easter menus and polished bar counters, of community and kinship over some generously laden plates. So, however you’re going to celebrate it, let’s say cheers to Easter, and to the pubs that provide us a place to get together with family, friends... and a mythical rabbit with a bit of a sweet tooth.