Three men died and were met at the gates to heaven by St. Peter, who informed them that to enter heaven they must explain the meaning of Easter.

The first man said, "That's easy.  Easter is when we buy a big turkey and stuff it with dressing, cooking it will lots of vegetables and pumpkin pie.  We sit around and watch the Easter football games, and then we enjoy the Easter feast because we are thankful it is Easter.

St. Peter looked at the man and said, "You know nothing about Easter," and the man vanishes.  St. Peter turns to the second man and asks him to explain the meaning of Easter.

The second man said, "Easter is when we buy a big tree and put it in our living rooms.  We decorate it with Easter lights and ornaments, and then we go out and sing Easter carols.  On Easter morning we wake up to see what presents the Easter bunny brought us."

St. Peter looked at the second man and said, "You know nothing about Easter," and the man vanishes.  St. Peter turns to the third man and asks him to explain the meaning of Easter.

The third man replied, "Easter is the time when the Romans made Christ carry the cross through the town of Jerusalem to the top of Mt. Calvary.  On his journey he fell three times, Simon helped carry his cross, the women wept for him, and Veronica wipe his face with her vail.  When he got to the top of Mt. Calvary, the Romans nailed him to the cross and crucified him."

St. Peter said to the man that he almost had the true meaning of Easter and told him to tell him more.

The man elaborated, "After Christ dies, the Romans go away and his followers take him down from the cross, wrap him in linen, place him in a cave, and then go away.  He stays in the cave and after three days he gets up, goes outside, and if he sees his shadow he goes back inside for six more weeks of winter."

He didn't get in.