When Is Easter Monday And Good Friday

You know that feeling when you’re coasting through spring, and suddenly you realize there’s a random day off from work or school, and you have no idea why? That’s Easter Monday and Good Friday for most of us. They’re like the surprise bonus levels in a video game—you didn’t expect them, but you’re thrilled they exist.

Let’s start with Good Friday. It’s the Friday right before Easter Sunday, and it’s basically the solemn, quiet relative at the family reunion. While everyone else is hyped for chocolate bunnies and egg hunts, Good Friday is the day we’re supposed to reflect, maybe skip the loud music, and eat fish instead of burgers. In everyday life, it’s the one Friday where you can’t complain about a weekend that starts a day early—because everyone gets the memo. I once forgot it was Good Friday and showed up at a grocery store expecting a full deli counter. Let’s just say the only thing open was the prayer line and a sad bin of canned tuna. Lesson learned.

So, when exactly do these days fall?

Here’s the messy part: Easter moves around like a teenager’s mood. It’s based on the lunar calendar—yes, the moon decides your long weekend. Easter Sunday is always the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. That means it can happen anywhere from late March to late April. So Good Friday is the Friday before that, and Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday. Confusing? Absolutely. But it’s also why you’ll have years where Easter feels like it’s hiding in a snowstorm, and other years when it’s warm enough to eat chocolate outside in a T-shirt.

Think of it this way: if the spring equinox is the shy kid who always shows up on March 20th, the full moon is the dramatic friend who steals the spotlight. Then Easter Sunday is the party after that drama, and Easter Monday is the hangover recovery day. Except with more Cadbury eggs.

What’s the deal with Easter Monday?

Easter Monday is the real unsung hero of the holiday. It’s the day you wake up after a massive Easter dinner, looking at leftover ham like it’s a personal challenge. You’re stuffed, your kids are wired on sugar, and yet the calendar gives you one more day to do absolutely nothing. In many countries, it’s a public holiday, which means the post office is closed, banks are shut, and your boss can’t email you until Tuesday. In the US, it’s not a federal holiday, so most people go back to work. But if you’re lucky enough to live in Canada, the UK, or Australia, Easter Monday is your official permission slip to lie on the couch and watch the dog try to steal the last jelly bean from under the sofa.

Good Friday Easter Sunday What Is Saturday

I remember one Easter Monday when I was a kid—my dad thought it was just a regular Monday and took a day off to go fishing. He got to the lake and realized everyone else had the same idea. It was like a parking lot with water. He came home grumbling, “That’s the last time I trust a holiday named after a bunny.” True story.

Why do we mix sad and happy in the same weekend?

This is where it gets weirdly beautiful. Good Friday is the sad part—the crucifixion story in Christian tradition—while Easter Sunday is the happy part—the resurrection. And Easter Monday? It’s the “we survived the emotional rollercoaster” day. In everyday life, it’s like watching a tear-jerker movie on Friday, then partying on Sunday, and then spending Monday just trying to process how you went from crying to laughing in 48 hours. It makes sense, right? Life is basically that.

2025 Easter Hours – Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre (OVWRC)

So if you ever feel confused about why your coworker is off on a random Friday or Monday, just remember: it’s the moon’s fault, combined with a bunny that lays eggs. That’s the kind of logic we can all get behind. Next time someone asks you, “When is Easter Monday and Good Friday?” you can smile, shrug, and say, “Depends on the moon, but I know it’s a good excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast.”

And if you still forget the dates, don’t worry—your phone calendar will remind you. Just don’t show up at the grocery store for a sub sandwich on Good Friday. Trust me on that one.