Things about Easter that AREN'T of pagan origin
- the date
- bunnies
- eggs

Things about Easter that probably ARE of pagan origin
- the name (but only in English and German)
- bonfires
- what do you mean you'd never heard of the bonfires?
- omg look them up they're fascinating

Also the gathering of the extended family to consume roast meat, but good luck finding a major established festival where that DOESN'T happen

According to an EXTREMELY obscure text, Easter bonfires were lit as a sacrifice of valuable firewood in the hope that the Goddess 'Ostra' would exterminate the nasty pests who would otherwise eat your crops

This pest control role presents problems for those who like to portray Eostre/Ostara as a simplistic 'fertility' goddess. 'Divine exterminator' doesn't quite sit with the whole fluffy bunny springtime maiden schtick, does it

I was actually asked by a Catholic professor from Ireland if I could help persuade people to do proper huge Easter bonfires again, once he'd come up with a way of doing so without melting the tarmac in the Church car park

okay, this thread is blowing up a bit, so let me just say: if I see one more comment along the lines of 'but it's determined by the MOOON and the EQUINOX that's so PAGAN omg' I may implode.

HISTORICAL PAGANS DID NOT TRADEMARK THE MOON

The timing of Easter is explicitly based on that of Passover because the events of Easter were believed to have taken place around Passover. It's as simple as that.