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Grass shifting from brown back to bright green. Newborn birds and bunnies making their introductions to the world. Brightly coloured flowers breaking through the cold ground and getting their first peek of the sun. Spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere. This season, so rich in rebirth and renewal, is the perfect backdrop for the Easter holiday.
For Christians around the world, Easter provides a time for warmth, togetherness, family, and tradition. Whilst the traditions may vary, the messages remain the same. (As do the questions … What’s with all the eggs? Keeping with that theme of rebirth and new life, I guess?)
From food to frolic, take a peek at these worldwide Easter traditions:
Greece
Last year, I learned from our social media manager, that people in Greece compete in an Easter egg duel. This year, I learned why those who observe Orthodox Easter, including people in Greece, only dye their eggs red as opposed to the pastel pinks and yellows I am accustomed to in America.
The red is representative of both the rebirth and blood of Christ. And whilst there seems to be limitations in just one colour, to those of us who are used to more hues, red eggs can be complex. Different shades of red, white detailing, and intricate designs make these Easter eggs truly stunning.
Sweden
Sweden is undeniably one of the coolest places in the world. They’re consistently ranked among the happiest people on the planet. They gave us ABBA, my favourite band, for which I will be forever grateful. And they know how to have a good time on Easter. The Swedes give this holiday a five-day treatment, starting with Maudy Thursday and wrapping on Easter Monday. Maudy Thursday has undeniably the coolest kickoff to the holiday weekend with Easter witches.
Swedish children dress up as påskkärringar, Easter witches, go door-to-door wishing their neighbors a happy Easter, and receive candy in return. The belief that sparked this? When Judas betrayed Jesus, it released evil into the world, including witches.
Swedish children essentially go trick-or-treating for Easter, and it’s one of the million reasons I am in love with Sweden.
Germany
In many places, there’s a great debate for the Easter dinner table: Lamb or ham? For Germans, there’s no competition. The tradition is widely to eat lamb. With Jesus known as the “lamb of God,” the slaughter of a lamb symbolizes the sacrifice of for the sins of humanity. The symbolism carries on to dessert as well. The Osterlamm, a lamb-shaped cake topped with powdered sugar, is a popular sweet treat to wrap the Easter meal. It represents the resurrection.
Australia
Bluey is my favourite children’s show of all time, and I highly recommend it to people of all ages for its quality storytelling. And honestly? It has taught me quite a few things about Australia. Fairy bread? Sure. Knew about that. But Bluey is the reason I know what a bilby is, and it inspired me to learn more about that critter and discover an Easter tradition Down Under.
The bilby is an endangered marsupial. It’s got a long snout and long ears and looks similar to a rabbit. But European rabbits are an invasive species to Australia and have caused significant damage to the landscape. Invasive species, including rabbits, have led to the bilby’s endangered status.
So it makes perfect sense that instead of a chocolate Easter bunny, Australia makes chocolate Easter bilbies! The tradition of the Easter Bilby dates back to the 1960s and many chocolate manufacturers donate proceeds towards bilby conservation and anti-rabbit campaigns.
