When Is Easter 2018?

As the snow begins to melt away, and your winter holiday decorations finally come down, we turn to bask in the glory of warmer weather. At first, it's easy to become so caught up in enjoying the warmer weather that spring holidays like Easter sneak up unexpectedly, especially since the date of the holiday changes every year. If there's one thing you do know, it's that even though you'll be eating a ton of extra calories from your Easter basket, this is a holiday you don't want to miss. I mean, come on. When else can you feast on delicious ham or one of these other Easter holiday dinners?  

But don't fret too much about falling down the Easter bunny hole. We have everything here to help you get ready for this joyous holiday.

This year Easter falls on Sunday, April 1. The date changes each year because the forefathers of Christanity wanted it to fall around the same time as the Jewish holiday, Passover. Some Jewish holidays, including Passover, abide by lunar cycles, meaning that the calendar date changes each year.

First, you'll need to decide whether you're spending the holiday at home or at one of these dreamy Easter weekend destinations. Other countries have some elaborate Easter food traditions you'll want to experience at least once. 

If you're choosing to stay home and have planned to have company, browse some gorgeous styling ideas for your Easter dinner table or check all your to-do boxes with this ultimate guide to Easter entertaining. Don't forget to bake some Easter-themed desserts to wow your guests! You might even send them home with Easter baskets filled with treats that put the store-bought stuff to shame. 

But we've also got you covered for the most important part of all: the egg hunt. Throw together one of the best Easter egg hunts for people of all ages or a much boozier version just for grown-ups. Teach your loved ones how to make their own world-class Easter eggs or try one of these unexpected ways to decorate your dozen. 

From Easter menus and party ideas to the best Easter dinner, dessert, and cocktail recipes, we've got you covered. Find all this and more on The Daily Meal's Easter Recipes & Menus Page. And have a hoppy Easter!

Holly Van Hare and Lauren Gordon contributed to this report.