In early Christianity, Easter was a much more significant holiday (“holy day”) than Christmas. And words associated with Easter offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of Christian faith. The word “Easter,” for example, along with its modern German synonym (“Ostern”), likely derives from the name of a goddess, “Eostre,” associated with the month of April.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865650412/The-words-of-Easter.html?pg=all
