Did you know that National Unicorn Day, Tartan Day, and Easter are all celebrated on the same weekend this year? And did you know these holidays are all weirdly related?
Check this out:
National Tartan Day: April 6, 2023 (festivals occurring on April 8 & 9, 2023)
National Unicorn Day: April 9, 2023
Easter (Resurrection Sunday): April 9, 2023
Look at that! All three can be celebrated on April 9th of this year. But how are they related besides the date?
What are these holidays?
First, a quick summary explanation of each holiday for those who are not familiar with them:
National Unicorn Day
National Unicorn Day was established in 2015 to celebrate the mythical creature of the unicorn, typically a horse-like creature with a horn on its head said to be able to heal and purify poisonous water. It is a creature of purity, gentleness, and kindness. You can find tips and resources for celebrating National Unicorn Day here.
National Tartan Day
National Tartan Day celebrates Scottish culture and heritage. A tartan is the traditional pattern of crossed lines of colors in woven fabric that over time became associated with specific Scottish clans and locations. You can read more about the history of Tartan Day here.
Easter (Resurrection Sunday)
Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after he offered himself as a pure sacrifice to take away the sin, guilt, and shame of all who believe in him. His sacrifice established a way for people to be reconciled into loving relationship with God. You can read the story here or more commentary here.
How are Unicorn Day, Tartan Day, and Easter related?
So what is the significance of these holidays coinciding?
Unicorn Day and Tartan Day are related because the unicorn is the national symbol of Scotland since the 1500’s. It appears on the Scottish coat of arms and many historical buildings around Scotland. In 1603, the unicorn joined the United Kingdom’s royal coat of arms along with the English lion with the ascension to the throne of King James I of England who was simultaneously King James VI of Scotland. A unicorn was considered to be wild and untamable, and the chain around its neck in the coat of arms shows the strength of the Scottish king to subdue it. Therefore, the unicorn is a royal Scottish symbol.
Unicorn Day relates to Easter because in the Middle Ages, the unicorn was seen as a symbol of Jesus Christ. The legendary unicorn was a creature of great purity that would elude capture by hunters, but would approach a virgin to rest its head in her lap, after which the hunters could come and kill it. Christianity allegorized this to show how Jesus came to be born of the Virgin Mary and became a pure sacrifice for sin at his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. You can read more about the unicorn’s history and its connection to Christianity in the series about the true meaning of the unicorn.
To tie Easter back to Tartan Day, the unicorn is a royal symbol in Scotland, and Jesus is the King of Kings, historically also represented by a unicorn. The unicorn cannot be tamed by ordinary men, but it submits itself as a pure sacrifice like Jesus on the cross, who submitted himself to the will of his Father God.
Fascinating overlap, isn’t it?
So there you have it! Three holidays this weekend for you to enjoy! I will actually be celebrating all of them (Unicorn Day with this post, Tartan Day at a festival, and Easter with my local church).
Which one(s) will you celebrate? How will you celebrate them? Share in the comments!
The True Meaning of the Unicorn Series
1. Introduction: About Dr. Jane Beal
2. What does the Unicorn Mean?
3. How did the Unicorn Change Over Time?
4. What do Other Mythological Creatures Mean?
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I would never have guessed that unicorns have anything to do with Jesus.
Pretty cool surprise, huh? 🙂