We’re all too familiar with the annual Easter egg hunt, but check out these other eggs-cellent ways Easter is celebrated around the world.
We don’t know about you, but we’re ready for Easter. The chocolate eggs (yes we’re talking about you, Cadbury creme eggs), bottomless brunches and parties taking place all weekend long have got us uber excited. This annual celebration likely evokes childhood memories of Easter egg hunts, hot cross buns, and ginormous Easter bunnies gallivanting around shopping malls. But have you ever wondered how the rest of the world celebrates this fun holiday? We share some unique Easter traditions from around the globe…
But first, what’s Easter all about?
If you’re not a church-goer, you probably know Easter as a commercial holiday filled with pastel eggs and exciting egg hunts. Of course, not forgetting the folkloric Easter rabbit that’s become a symbol of the spring season! It’s a time when friends and family come together to be with each other.
But the original Easter holiday has its roots in the Christian faith. Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after he was crucified to save the world from its sins. In fact, Easter is so egg-centric because the eggs are meant to symbolise the new life that Christians find in Christ. Easter eggs used to be dyed red to represent the blood of Christ. Usually, there are church services to remember this holy day. Some Christians even embark on 40 days of Lent, a religious observance that can include fasting, leading up to Easter Sunday itself.
No matter how you celebrate it, we can all agree that Easter is a holiday filled with warmth, love and appreciation for the good things in life.
Easter traditions around the world
1. Easter in Antigua: Vibrant carpets on the streets
If you’re in Antigua the week before Easter, don’t be surprised if you see long lines of vibrant carpets in all sorts of colours laying on the streets. It’s known as the carpets of Semana Santa, made for the procession that takes place to re-enact the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The carpets are made of a variety of materials that include dyed sawdust, flowers and native plants. They also boast designs that reflect the religion, Mayan tradition, and surrounding nature. What a beautiful sight!
2. Easter in Bermuda: Kite flying at the beach
In the Bible, after Jesus appears to his disciples following his resurrection, he departs Earth and ascends into heaven. In Bermuda, the Bermudians have an Easter tradition in which they use kite flying to demonstrate this occurrence! Citizens make their own kites and go down to Horseshoe Bay Beach to fly them. There are even “best kite” competitions to take part in, to make things a little more challenging and exciting for everyone participating.
3. Easter in Sweden: Little ones dress up
In Sweden, the young’uns are dressed as Easter witches and hold colourful twigs adorned with feathers and other vibrant decorations. It’s kinda like Halloween, but not really. They even go door-to-door within the neighbourhood, presenting homemade cards and paintings in return for sweet treats and chocolates. We’re not kidding when we say these are the most adorable witches in the whole wide world!
4. Easter in France: Giant omelettes made for sharing
Sure, there are Easter eggs, but have you heard of Easter omelettes? They’re not the regular-sized ones that come served on a small plate. In a town south of France, they serve a ginormous omelette to people in the main square the day after Easter Sunday. We’re talking one omelette made with more than 15,000 eggs. It comes from the legend of Napoleon, who got the townspeople to cook a large omelette for him and his army when they were passing through. It kinda reminds us of that big omelette from the Tyrannian Plateau in Neopets – now we really want to swipe a piece.
5. Easter in Greece: Pot throwing
On Corfu, an island off the northwest coast of Greece, people fill up earthenware with water, throwing them from their windows and letting them smash on the streets. This tossing out of “old” pots symbolises the welcoming of spring, as well as the hope for plentiful harvest and crops that will be gathered in new pots for the year ahead.
6. Easter in Australia: Chocolate bilbies for a good cause
We love indulging in chocolate bunnies, but we’ve never heard of chocolate bilbies! Apparently, in Australia, bilbies are an endangered species of marsupials that look just a bit like rabbits. The folks who popularised the chocolate bilby hope to raise awareness of its endangerment and the conservation efforts surrounding it. We’d say that’s a pretty sweet cause!
We love all these unique Easter traditions around the world! Got any new ones to share? Let us know.