You know, life has a strange way of throwing curveballs at us. Some are painful, some are miraculous, and every once in a while, you get one that’s just downright hilarious. That’s right—this year, Easter Sunday lands smack dab on April 20th. Yep. 420. In Oregon. Let that sink in.
Now before the pitchforks and baskets of stale Peeps come flying at my desk, let me just say—this isn’t blasphemy. This is comedy. And if you’re not chuckling a little at the fact that the holiest of resurrection days is sharing a calendar square with the holiest of cannabis holidays, then maybe you need to take a deeper inhale… of perspective, that is.
Let’s start with the basics. Easter: a day of celebration, of rebirth, of chocolate-covered everything, and the kind of floral-patterned clothing that only your grandma could truly pull off. It’s about family, forgiveness, and faith. It’s a day people gather for sunrise services, solemn hymns, glazed hams, and enough deviled eggs to summon the apocalypse. “toot-toot”
Now let’s talk 420: a day synonymous with peace, puff, and passing it to the left. A day when dispensaries do more business than Walmart on Black Friday, and suddenly that Bob Marley tapestry you bought in college feels like a sacred relic. It’s about chilling, relaxing, and for many of us here in Oregon—relieving chronic pain, anxiety, or just the wear and tear of modern life.
Is it divine coincidence? Cosmic comedy? Or just one of those moments that makes you pause and say, “Only in Oregon”?
I’ve never been shy about my relationship with cannabis. Hell, some of my old magazines were named, BLAZED420, and Weed Aficionado, which aren’t exactly subtle. I’ve used it to fight pain, battle addiction, and even comfort my mother through cancer. It’s medicine to me. It’s been salvation for many. And sure, sometimes it’s a good laugh and a lifted spirit on a tough day. But even I had to step back, scratch my head, and laugh at the irony of this year’s calendar.
Easter on 420? You just can’t make this stuff up.
But irony aside, there’s something beautiful about this overlap if you really think about it. Both Easter and 420—at their heart—are about renewal. About finding peace, healing, and rising above the things that hold us down. Whether you’re looking for spiritual resurrection or a mental reset, both holidays offer their own version of salvation. They just come with different kinds of incense.
Now, of course, let’s be clear. Don’t go showing up at Sunday service reeking like Willie Nelson’s tour bus. Keep it respectful. Keep it responsible. Easter is still Easter. And for many, it’s the most important day of the year—about sacrifice, redemption, and hope. Don’t confuse the communion wafers with Cheeba Chews. Don’t hotbox the minivan before grandma’s house.
But for those who partake, who use cannabis as a part of their wellness or even just their weekend, 420 is also a time of gratitude and community. A reminder of how far we’ve come in normalizing plant-based healing. In Oregon, we’ve been on the front lines of that movement. We’ve seen it save lives. We’ve seen it spark conversations, families reconnect, and even, believe it or not—politicians pretend they never inhaled.
So whether you’re lighting a candle at Mass or lighting something else in your backyard hammock, remember this: it’s okay to laugh at the strange twists of life. It’s okay to marvel at coincidence—or irony, if you prefer. And it’s okay to celebrate both the sacred and the silly.
From everyone at The Grants Pass Tribune, I wish you a joyful Easter, a peaceful 420, and a beautiful day with the ones you love—be they two-legged, four-legged, or stuffed with synthetic cotton and carrying baskets of jellybeans.
Just, please, try not to eat all the Easter candy before the kids find it. Those munchies are no joke.