I wouldn't say that Catholics are the only ones who do big Holy Week celebrations (although they and the Eastern Orthodox churches probably have the most traditions). Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists all observe Palm Sunday and Good Friday and many Evangelical churches observe the crucifixion on Wednesday. Mormons often have an Easter program in Sacrament Meeting but it's not prescribed, and we generally don't have special lessons in Sunday School or EQ/RS.
And I know that we frequently say that we focus on the resurrected Christ and not on the crucifixion by way of explaining why our iconography and traditions are different from those of other Christians, but historically our behavior has actually been more strongly rooted in anti-Catholic sentiment than we like to admit. Plus, a lot of Protestant churches used the same reasoning in the 19th century (at least to justify why they didn't use the cross), so I figure that if they can come around, why can't we?
I'm all for our church emphasizing Easter more. Maybe it's a holdover from our protestantism, but we can change, right? Why do the Sunbeams get a special Easter lesson but the adults don't? We make such a big deal out of Christmas (there's always a special Christmas devotional) and how we need to remember the religious side of the holiday, but Easter gets kind of ignored. Is it because candy and stuffed bunnies are less threatening than wishlist-induced materialism?
Speaking of Easter traditions, my husband had the idea that we could let our kids "deposit" a toy at Christmas and give it back to them with interest for Easter. I think that would up the anticipation a little! It might be hard to get a little kid to give up a toy though.
I would maintain that Mormons' Christmas observances are similarly Protestant-ized and understated. I have to go to a Catholic church to get my Christmas Eve hymn fix. It's odd to me that the LDS will have so many midweek recreational activities but no midweek observances that correspond with the Christian calendar. Maybe three hours every Sunday burns them out?
Nothing beats Catholic Holy Week, y'all. 5 days of mass. Epic Saturday night celebrations of sacraments. So much Jesus time. It's exhausting, but amazing.
