Christians, we're at a crossroads.

Most Easter Sundays involve baskets of candy, crowded church services, buffets groaning with ham and deviled eggs — and followers clad in seersucker suits and linen dresses. The chocolate bunnies and folding chairs and Sunday dinners should come and go as usual, but linen and seersucker? In March?

Sara Hopkins/Special

Customer Wesley Ross, 24, of Cartersville, tries on a suit jacket while decided which style he would later purchase from the Joseph A. Bank men's store located in The Avenues of West Cobb in Marietta.

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It is a question that leaves the well-dressed wroth.

After all, on Easter, when Christians celebrate Christ's resurrection, the weather's usually warm. But not always. According to ancient dictate, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. This year, that means Sunday, with a forecast high in the low 60s.

Is it too early and too chilly for the triumphant return of summer fabrics? Opinions vary like those on a church building fund committee.

"I'm so glad you asked," said Emmie Henderson Howard, co-owner of Southern Proper, billed as the "haberdashery for the Southern gentleman" (southernproper.com). "We recommend wearing a lighter color suit, or even a navy blazer with a pair of dress trousers, but pairing it with a perfect pastel shirt, and tie it off with a cheerful patterned necktie or bow."

Howard, proper as a dimple on a silk cravat, will wear a coral cap-sleeve dress made of cotton this Sunday.

Sherrie Lucas, a sales executive at the Marietta Jos. A. Banks, plans to wear seersucker.

"Seersucker is hot," she said.

Seersucker is not, countered Atlanta image consultant Aaron Marino of Alpha M. Image Consulting (alphamimageconsulting.com).

"For the love of God, leave the seersucker suits in the closet or fireplace," the Philadelphia native snapped. "Easter is about fresh vibrant colors. Try a lighter-colored suit made of a lightweight wool. Choose a color that is light and refreshing — light-gray or tan. This will give you the look of spring without looking absurd."

Brooks Brothers spokeswoman Dana Schiller, of the venerable clothier's New York headquarters, suggests waiting a while before donning the puckered stripes.

"No seersucker before the first day of summer," she declared.

But if you say Easter means seersucker or linen, David Smedley of the Lenox Square H. Stockton won't argue. "It's a matter of choice for the individual," he said.

Hoping to settle differences of cloth with a man of the cloth we called Scott Weimer, senior pastor at North Avenue Presbyterian Church. He seems to feel that the song in your heart is more important than the frock on your back.

"Wear whatever's comfortable," he said.

John Yauger, owner of Bud's Bow Ties (budsbowties.com), expects Easter finery this Sunday, warm weather or not.

"I feel like the season transcends the weather, unless your teeth are chattering during the church service," he said. "Southerners are sticklers for traditions and manners. Early or not, dressing up for Easter Sunday is just what we do."

It's certainly what Brian and Sherry Ranck of Alpharetta will do.

"Even though Easter is early this year, it is still after the official first day of spring, so I will be wearing a pink linen pant suit," said Sherry Ranck, who's a nurse.

And her husband, recently named director of business development at BNY Mellon Wealth Management's Atlanta office?

"I am sure my husband, Brian, will have on a bow tie with a pinstripe suit," she said. "Our son Thomas, who is 5, is already looking forward to wearing his new seersucker tie and pink button-down shirt."

She was less certain what teenage daughter Savannah will wear to Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church, noting, "It is much easier to get our 5-year-old to wear an 'Easter outfit.' "