Easter traditions

People of many lands and languages have given names to the celebration of spring. Through the years, a great assortment of customs and traditions has developed. As people have emigrated, their customs have blended with native observances, till now the arrival of spring is acknowledged in a multitude of ways. Easter Monday egg rolling, a custom of European origin, has become a tradition on the lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. Wherever and however Easter is kept, it is universally a joyous, happy day!

In addition to the religious celebrations and observances of Easter, many countries also celebrate Easter with sweets and baked goods. Eggs, a traditional symbol of new life, are hard-boiled and dyed. Chocolate candies of all shapes and sizes are bought. Cakes and breads are baked and carefully decorated. And in many homes, families celebrate Easter with a gathering of family for an elaborate Easter dinner.

There are a few things like the Easter eggs, bunnies and chocolates, which are common to Easter celebrations all over the world. Yet, we can see a glimpse of local traditions during the Easter festival in different parts of the world. From north to south and east to west, we find a tinge of local flavour in Easter celebrations in various countries. Like all other festivals and holidays, Easter is also celebrated in different fashions in different parts of the world.

Easter in England Easter is celebrated by giving and receiving things like Easter Eggs. Older people may exchange things like money, clothes, chocolate or go on holidays together. Some people make Easter bonnets or baskets, which have things like daffodils in them or mini eggs. Small children sometimes go to a local community centre to enter an Easter bonnet competition to see whose bonnet is the best and the winner gets an Easter egg. The Easter bunny is part of the Easter tradition in England and the shops are filled with thousands which people buy to give to each other. The Easter bunny ‘hides’ the eggs in the houses and children on Easter Sunday search to find these treats.

Easter in Germany In Germany, Easter is called by the name of Ostern. Easter holidays for children last for about three weeks. Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are the days when people don't work at all. In Germany also there is tradition of huge bonfires on Easter Saturday evenings. These Easter fires are burnt as symbolize the end of winter and bad omen. This is very popular tradition and large numbers of people assemble to enjoy it.

Easter in Australia Australia is the land of people belonging to a number of countries. Different people bring different traditions with them; it is because of this reason that Easter is celebrations take place in a variety of ways. Easter Sunday is the chief day of celebrations for the people. Church service is attended by the people and they take sweet fruit buns for breakfast. These buns, generally, have a cross on their top. Children exchange Easter eggs of different shapes and sizes are exchanged by children. They are made of chocolates, sugar etc. and some of them have little and attractive toys inside. Some chocolate eggs are also in the shape of mischievous looking rabbits.

Easter in Mexico Semana Santa and Pascua (two separate observances) form a part of Easter celebrations in Mexico. Semana Santa stands for the whole of the Holy Week - Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday whereas the Pascua is the observance for the period from the Resurrection Sunday to the following Saturday.

Easter in the US Easter is one of the most popular festivals across the United States. Families dress in cheerful, spring colours and attend church where a message is given about Christ rising from the tomb and songs are sung. A ham dinner with pineapples, potatoes, fruit salad and vegetables is served for lunch. The Easter bunny comes in the morning and fills baskets with Easter eggs and lots of chocolate and candy.

Easter in Sweden In Sweden, Easter is not as big a celebration as Christmas, but schools have a holiday for about one week before Easter. It is the time when people remember when Jesus died and then rose from the dead. People decorate their houses with the Easter colours; yellow, green and white. They put yellow chickens with feathers of different colours all over their houses. People eat almost the same food that they eat at Christmas, but much more candy. The Easter Bunny is part of the celebrations. The bunny ‘hides’ the Easter eggs the night before Easter Sunday in the houses and the children search for the eggs the next day. The eggs are made of cardboard, and inside each one is candy.