Not eggs alone: 10 Easter traditions from around the world

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Easter is one of the favorite holidays in many countries. The origins of Easter celebrations date back to pagan times and the time when the long, cold European winters were finally ending. Many ancient festivals were held on the days of the equinox and solstice. Spring was the time when the days suddenly got warmer, the snow melted and flowers bloomed, so it should come as no surprise that people wanted to celebrate this time. Easter also has tremendous religious significance for many believers around the world who gather to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ. Over the past centuries, pagan and Christian holidays have become intertwined and increasingly correspond to the general theme of birth and renewal.

1. Easter eggs

On Easter Sunday, millions of chocolate eggs are eaten around the world. All supermarket shelves are lined with Easter eggs of all shapes, sizes and varieties. However, this tradition has arisen relatively recently. In many church traditions, it was forbidden to eat eggs for several weeks before Easter. Back in the Middle Ages, eggs were collected and painted for consumption after a long fast on Easter Sunday. During the 19th century, egg-shaped bags and sachets began to be made to give candy and chocolates to loved ones. Egg shaped toys have been specially designed for gifts to children. During this time, French and German pastry chefs began to make egg-shaped sweets. Initially, they were made from bitter dark chocolate, and they are quite durable. It took a while before pastry chefs perfected the art of making their own pastries to bring modern hollow eggs into being.

2. Easter bunny

Over time, the tradition of "Easter bunnies" began to spread throughout the world. The kids woke up on Easter Sunday to excitedly find out what chocolate treat the rabbit had brought them. This mysterious rabbit is said to have brought Easter eggs to children in many Western cultures, but the exact origins of this belief have been lost over the centuries. Rabbits were often seen at traditional fertility festivals held throughout Europe to celebrate spring. They can also be seen in many medieval art and religious texts. As you know, rabbits reproduce very quickly, so they are an excellent symbol of fertility and rebirth. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that they have been the main theme of many spring festivals. Rabbits delivering colorful eggs were originally part of German folklore dating back to the 17th century (it was at this time that a German essayist mentioned the concept of hares bringing Easter eggs).

3. Easter bonnets

During Easter week, schools and kindergartens around the world host an annual Easter hat parade, during which children (and often adults) wear fancy bonnets - hats decorated with Easter bunnies, eggs and flowers. The origins of Easter bonnets stem from the tradition of making a new hat for the church on Easter Sunday. Women used to celebrate spring by decorating their hats with flowers, lace and ribbons as a symbol of rebirth and renewal. However, it wasn't until 1933 that songwriter Irving Berlin wrote The Easter Parade that the concept of the Easter hat was finally solidified. The popular song about women walking down Fifth Avenue in their Easter caps, featured in musicals and films, still reflects the tradition of decorating the Easter hat today.

4. Easter bells in France

The Easter Bunny is clearly bypassing France. Children in France get their Easter treats from Easter Bells. This tradition is based on Catholic teachings that church bells should not ring between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday. The children are told that these bells fly to Rome to receive the Pope's blessing, and then they return on Easter Sunday with eggs and other treats. Chocolate treats are as popular as in many other parts of the world, as is the case with the traditional Easter egg hunt. However, it is the Easter bells, not the Easter bunny, that are the reason eggs are found in gardens near houses in France.

5. Easter cuckoo in Switzerland

Swiss Easter traditions seem a little more believable than a bunny bringing chocolate eggs. The Easter cuckoo supposedly lays eggs that children collect on Easter morning. In the Swiss tradition, cuckoo eggs are not only a symbol of spring, but also a symbol of good luck. However, in the regions closer to the French border, there is still a tradition of "Easter bells" that drop eggs on the way back after being blessed in Rome. In Switzerland, Easter is also a time to give gifts to your neighbors, in particular bread, wine and cheese.

6. Easter in Germany

Although the origins of the Easter bunny can be traced back to German folklore, in some parts of Germany the Easter fox brings eggs. As mentioned earlier, the "osterhase" or "Easter bunny" was first mentioned in an essay in 1682 by Georg Frank von Frankenau. He talked about how a hare hides eggs for children in the garden. German immigrants brought this tradition to the United States, where it became the modern day Easter bunny. In Germany, instead of hiding Easter eggs all over the garden, decorative painted eggs are hung on trees that then resemble Christmas trees, which, incidentally, also originated in Germany. Also in Germany, bonfires, which are traditionally made in honor of the long, cold winters, play a huge role in celebrating German Easter.

7. Scandinavian witches

In the Scandinavian countries, Easter is the time when the dark winter days finally give way to sunshine. Local celebrations are more secular than religious. According to Swedish folklore, on Easter Thursday, witches fly up the mountain to meet the devil. Children in Sweden, Finland and parts of Norway traditionally dress up like witches and go from door to door asking for sweet treats from their neighbors. Meanwhile, in Denmark, families are cutting thin paper "snowflakes" containing letters. Then they play a game in which people have to guess the author of the message. Just like the Germans, bonfires are made here to celebrate the end of winter.

8. Czech rods

After decades of communist rule, during which most religious holidays were banned in the Czech Republic, the traditions of the local ancient culture are beginning to revive here. The most unusual Easter tradition is also based on the celebration of spring and fertility. Czech boys make "willow sticks" from willow branches, decorated with ribbons, which they use to whip young girls for good luck and fertility. The new twigs of the willow are said to bring health and vitality to everyone they touch. Naturally, these rods are not beaten, but simply touched. Initially, they were woven and decorated by hand, but today they are sold corny in most supermarkets next to chocolate Easter eggs.

9. Easter in Hungary

Hungarian Easter traditions are based on the general theme of rebirth and the celebration of spring. Hand-decorated eggs have given way to commercial chocolate eggs, which the Easter Bunny leaves to children on Easter Sunday. However, traditionally Easter has also been a time of symbolic purification and, of course, fertility, although it is difficult to imagine how pouring a bucket of cold water over a person can be considered a romantic gesture. On Easter Monday, young people visited young girls to recite a romantic verse to them. Then, they poured a bucket of water over the girls to make them good wives and mothers. In return, in gratitude, the women treated the men to chocolate and a glass of Hungarian palinka. Today, they are mostly not doused with water, but sprinkled with perfume.

10. Australian Easter bilby

Easter Bilby is not an established Easter tradition in Australia, but rather a marketing strategy designed to help conserve endangered wildlife. Rabbits are not native to Australia, but after their introduction, they began to breed harder than any plague. They compete with local wildlife for food and habitat, causing tremendous environmental damage. The common bilby is an endangered native species whose chocolate images are sold every Easter as an alternative to the Easter bunny. The proceeds from the sale of the Easter Bilby go to protect this vulnerable species.

The fact that in one country has long become the norm for residents of other countries seems strange. So, jumping over babies, blackening the bride and other traditions that seem crazy for a Russian person.