Reflections on Easter: Customs & More…
“The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.” Robert Flatt
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... The Resurrection Day
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... an Easter Fire
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... Easter eggs in Croatia
Happy Easter! In a few hours, Christians in the USA will join others around the world in celebration of Pascha or Easter Sunday; the day Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. Easter is considered a moveable feast which means that the date is not permanent on the calender, say like Christmas which always falls on December 25th, it changes. This is a time of renewal and a time to reflect on how to make our lives more meaningful by being in service to others. Numbers are very important during this period and each set represent an important marker leading up to and beyond Easter Sunday.
For one, Resurrection Day occurs three days after Christ’s death by crucifixion. Easter is preceded by Lent; 40 days of prayers, penance and fasting. Holy week is the last seven days of Lent which includes Good Friday, and then, there is a 50 day Eastertide period that ends in Pentecost Sunday. So, you can imagine that this is one of the holiest Christian celebrations and that customs vary around the world. The Resurrection also represents a world that renews itself; a world without end.
“Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.” Floyd W. Tomkins
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... Easter Bermuda Kite symbolizes the ascent of Christ
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... Simnel Cake with marshmallow peeps
Easter Morning by Edna Dean Proctor
The fasts are done; the Aves said;
The moon has filled her horn
And in the solemn night I watch
Before the Easter morn.
So pure, so still the starry heaven,
So hushed the brooding air,
I could hear the sweep of an angel’s wings
If one should earthward fare.
There are many customs and traditions that are celebrated around the world in honor of Easter. Many revolve around food, but all are positive, upbeat commemorations of the resurrection and celebration of life after death. I have added many customs below for your enjoyment. I love all the egg and breads/cakes traditions and never missed a chance for a chocolate bunny run or for the full range of Easter egg customs.
“Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless.” Charles M. Crowe
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More... Easter Eggs
Reflections on Easter: Customs & More.. An Easter Switch or Pomlazka
Around the world, Easter games and customs abound. The most common are decorating Easter eggs, egg hunting and making/buying/displaying Easter Bunnies in all forms from fabric to chocolates. Making marshmallow Easter chicks and chocolate baskets and bunnies are a hit everywhere too. Below are a few other customs and traditions that commemorate the season and they are as varied as they are fascinating.
♥ Egg games; treasure hunts, egg rolling, tapping, throwing, dancing and eating competitions in Europe and around the world
♥Easter switching, sprinkling girls/women with water and hitting them with switches (a pomlázka) to rejuvenate them in Central Europe
♥Easter baskets containing bread, colored eggs, ham, horseradish, and a type of nut cake are made and shared in Central & Eastern Europe (more area traditions below)
♥Easter Butter Lamb Butter is shaped into a lamb and served a part of the celebratory meal
♥Watering/Easter Monday; the day after Easter, perfumed water is sprinkled on each other in exchange for an egg
♥Easter Kite: In Bermuda, a kite symbolic of the resurrection and ascent of Christ is flown
♥Special breads and egg or nutcakes are made to celebrate the day; fruit cakes, hot cross buns, egg cakes, Folar- Portuguese Easter bread, Simnel/marzipan cake are some of the customs.
♥Easter Fire; special holy fires are lit in Italy (Scoppio del carro) and the Netherlands (Paasvuur) to commemorate the occasion
♥In Nordic countries, egg painting, enjoying a smorgasbord of special Easter feasts/mammi, dressing kids as witches to collect pussy willows and use of decorative colorful feathers are part of the custom.
I hope you enjoyed the range of customs shared for Easter celebration. As you noticed, there is food, water, fire, and other special rituals that proclaim and sustain life and its continuation. What traditions do you celebrate in your country and do you have any memories of ones that you enjoyed?
What are your thoughts? What are you doing for Easter Sunday? Do share. Thank You! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: Use this period of renewal to reaffirm your life’s purpose and then celebrate your life and the lives of those around you.
Related Articles
- Of Easter Eggs and Spring Spheres (bahbs.wordpress.com)
- How Easter is Celebrated around the World! (dolaningles.wordpress.com)
- Confused Why Easter always Moves? (greatrealtor.wordpress.com)
- Easter Bunny Ideas (funfreetips.wordpress.com)
- Easter Bunny (sharonbaron.wordpress.com)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of The Resurrection, Easter Eggs, Easter Switch, Easter Fire, Easter Kite and Simnel Cake via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
How interesting to read about all the Easter traditions observed around the world! When I grew up, we received Easter baskets filled with candy treats and usually a chocolate bunny. We also dyed and decorated eggs. We usually gathered at my grandfather’s house, and the kids participated in a huge Easter egg hunt.
Easter is my FAVORITE. It beats, hands down, any Christmas you can describe. Oddly…we don’t do much…each year I wonder what I should make for dinner, and many things fall to the wayside…
but, waking on Easter morning…knowing Christ is risen–He is risen, indeed–is about all I can handle.
there is such glory.
just now, my daughter is making an apple pie (at almost 10pm) we all dyed Easter Eggs (my son, 13, said “I’ll only do two–I’m not into this much anymore” then dyed and decorated about half while we all sat around the table laughing…)
It’s fresh start, life over death…God.
blessings
jane
We colored Easter Eggs last night. Easter morning, my oldest daughter will hide them and then encourage all the younger kids to find them. Then they’ll take turns hiding them again and again through-out the day.
We bought new church dresses for the girls this year (a first!). We’ve been away from church due to health issues for a few months…and they’d outgrown the church clothes they had. It was handy to pick up new ones at the Easter sale.
We have too much candy and stories of Christ to share with the kids. I imagine things’ll get a bit cranky by the end…but we’ll look back on it fondly. 🙂
Happy Easter!
you made a wonderful Easter collection! Happy Easter to you, Eliz!!!
HaPpY eAsTeR!
It’s amazing there are so many customes from around the World!
PiP 🙂
I learned about Easter a lot. thank you for sharing. 🙂
Happy Easter to you Elizabeth and your family. Today my sister is preparing a dinner and will have my grandchildren over the house. So I hope to get a chance to talk with everyone!!:)
Have a great day
Walter
Happy Easter Eliz! Hope your days is beautiful in all His glory! I already attended a beautiful morning service and will be headed to my dad’s shortly then mom’s a little later. Lots of time spent with my sweet niece and nephews. Love holidays with the family. Hope you and yours are enjoying your day too!!!
I read something today that said to 40% of Americans, Easter is the most popular holiday (as planejaner says). It used to be with me, too, when my children were young. I’ve lost something since then. I need to rethink it through your lens.
Fascinating post, Eliz.
Love the Easter Kite in Bermuda.
Love the Easter traditions and photos. At our house when we were young, we would also have an Easter egg hunt with all the nighborhood kids. An Easter basket full chocolates and other goodies. The main event was dressing up in our new Easter bonnets and outfits, taking family photos before going to Easter church services, and a nice dinner in the afternoon !
Happy Easter to everyone !!
Thank you so much, Eliz, for a post that captures the spirit of Easter…and provides us all with such amazing photos…I’m going to tweet this and post on facebook…it is definitely something to be shared. 🙂
We are spending the day quietly, reflecting on our many blessings.
Thanks for sharing the traditions. I especially like the tip to use this time as a time of renewal of purpose and celebration. We often get busy and forget we do have purpose and reason to celebrate just being who we are.
Happy Easter to you and yours! You always make the most fun and informative holiday posts.
Love to pictures too.
Bree
Happy Eliz! May peace reach the land close to both our hearts.
I’m not sure what happened to the word “Easter” above. It should read “Happy Easter, Eliz”.