Two of them (Christmas and Easter) are widely known to all people, Christians and non-Christians.
The third feast, Pentecost, officially taking place this year on 12 June close to one of the longest total lunar eclipses (15 June 2011), is more unfamiliar and even several believers do not know much about it.
Perhaps this is because, unlike the other festivities, it does not involve extra days of vacation, specific things to buy or culinary associations, such as Christmas pudding, turkey, Easter eggs and lamb.[i]
Yet, in actual fact, this feast does relate with food consumption, since it originally celebrates the Jewish fruition of the harvest. In Christian imagery it also refers to Jesus as “the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20) exemplified by “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry, he who believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:35). This may sound like a catering slogan, yet it does not necessarily promote ordinary business and consumerism, which is perhaps why there is not much fuss about Pentecost.
