2008 Woodie Awards
History of Easter holiday differs globally from culture to culture
Anisa Pjetrovic
Issue date: 4/3/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Over time each generation remembers the traditions important to their family, but often forget the reasons behind them.
When five people were asked why we have Easter egg hunts, bunnies, Easter baskets and the decorating of eggs, no one could answer correctly. Sometimes the meaning of celebrations is lost.
Easter is the Germanic goddess of spring that renews time. The resurrection of Christ symbolizes renewal.
There are many traditions from all over the world that vary in the celebration of Easter.
In Celtic tradition, the hare is a symbol for renewal and fertility.
The Germans had the first recorded appearance of the rabbit for Easter in 1500 and in 1800 made the first sweet bunny pastry.
The egg symbolizes new life and fertility. Even long ago the earth was thought to have hatched from an egg. During Lent it was considered bad to eat eggs, although, during spring many eggs were laid then cooked to keep them from going bad.
Later, eggs were decorated with bright colors to represent spring and on Easter they would be hidden, found and eaten.
An old Polish folk tale describes another way of decorating eggs. The tale said the Virgin Mary of the Christian tradition gave eggs to soldiers at the cross to plea for mercy on her son, while her tears fell on the eggs making colors.
Cultures decorate their eggs now in slightly different ways.
Greeks paint eggs red to represent the blood of Christ. Two people tap together two eggs until one breaks and one person says, "Christ is risen," and the other replies, "Truly he is risen."
Poles decorate eggs with beeswax dyes and have a blessing basket. The Easter basket comes from the Catholic religion. They fill baskets with food and bring it to church to be blessed and eaten later on Easter.
Mexicans smash eggs filled with confetti on each other's heads.
The British enjoy an egg-rolling contest where they roll eggs until they break and then tap shoulders with pussy willows for good luck.
When five people were asked why we have Easter egg hunts, bunnies, Easter baskets and the decorating of eggs, no one could answer correctly. Sometimes the meaning of celebrations is lost.
Easter is the Germanic goddess of spring that renews time. The resurrection of Christ symbolizes renewal.
There are many traditions from all over the world that vary in the celebration of Easter.
In Celtic tradition, the hare is a symbol for renewal and fertility.
The Germans had the first recorded appearance of the rabbit for Easter in 1500 and in 1800 made the first sweet bunny pastry.
The egg symbolizes new life and fertility. Even long ago the earth was thought to have hatched from an egg. During Lent it was considered bad to eat eggs, although, during spring many eggs were laid then cooked to keep them from going bad.
Later, eggs were decorated with bright colors to represent spring and on Easter they would be hidden, found and eaten.
An old Polish folk tale describes another way of decorating eggs. The tale said the Virgin Mary of the Christian tradition gave eggs to soldiers at the cross to plea for mercy on her son, while her tears fell on the eggs making colors.
Cultures decorate their eggs now in slightly different ways.
Greeks paint eggs red to represent the blood of Christ. Two people tap together two eggs until one breaks and one person says, "Christ is risen," and the other replies, "Truly he is risen."
Poles decorate eggs with beeswax dyes and have a blessing basket. The Easter basket comes from the Catholic religion. They fill baskets with food and bring it to church to be blessed and eaten later on Easter.
Mexicans smash eggs filled with confetti on each other's heads.
The British enjoy an egg-rolling contest where they roll eggs until they break and then tap shoulders with pussy willows for good luck.
