When is Easter 2026? Here's why the date changes, how we celebrate and which days are bank holidays this year
Here’s when we celebrate Easter in 2026, why the date changes each year, traditions, bank holidays and more.
It is almost time for Easter, with many of us counting down the days until the long-awaited, bank holiday weekend arrives.
Easter is an important time of year for Christians, with the public holiday marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the third day following his crucifixion.
While the way we observe Easter may have shifted over the years, many traditions have evolved from a different time.
For example, in the UK one of the most popular Easter traditions is trading chocolate eggs, something which stems from the days when we would simply exchange normal chicken eggs - which were forbidden to eat during Lent.
With Pancake Day right around the corner and Lent trailing quickly behind, here is when Easter falls in 2026 - and which days are bank holidays.
When is Easter 2026?
In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5, with Easter Monday a day later on April 6.
Both follow Good Friday on April 3.
Why does Easter date change?
The date Easter is celebrated changes each year in respect of the Church’s ecclesiastical calendar and the lunar cycle, as Easter is always observed on the first Sunday following the full moon after the Spring equinox.
That’s why Easter didn’t take place until April 20 last year, the latest it has fallen since 2019.
As for how this day in particular was settled upon for Easter, you can trace its roots all the way back to 325 AD and a decision made by the Council of Nicaea.
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Is Easter Monday a bank holiday?
If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland then congratulations, as Easter Monday is a bank holiday.
For those of us in Scotland, we are not quite so lucky.
Unlike the rest of the UK, where Good Friday marks the start of a glorious four-day weekend, in Scotland only Easter Monday is not an official bank holiday granted across the entire country.
With that being said, the majority of local authorities do still recognise Easter Monday as a public holiday - with a few exceptions. If you are unsure it is worth checking with your council.
Easter 2026 bank holidays
If you are hoping to book a trip away or perhaps plan some events closer to home so you don’t need to face the dreaded price increase, here are the Easter 2026 bank holiday dates you need to know:
- Good Friday: Friday, April 3
- Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5
- Easter Monday: Monday, April 6
How does the UK celebrate Easter? Traditions and more
Across the UK, there are a number of different ways we celebrate Easter.
As we mentioned earlier, one of the most common ways to mark the holiday is by exchanging chocolate eggs with loved ones, but there are even more egg-related traditions to follow.
The main one is boiling eggs and then decorating them, where they can then be used in Easter egg hunts.
Alternatively, there is another tradition which is popular in Scotland, the north of England and Ireland, which involves taking these elaborately decorated eggs and then rolling them down hills and, consequently, destroying them.
Anyone who has been in a supermarket lately will also recognise that Easter is creeping ever closer due to the presence of hot cross buns on the shelves.
These treats are traditionally served on Good Friday for the end of Lent and symbolise Jesus’ crucifixion.
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