Easter is not just chocolate eggs and dove, eaten at the end of a plentiful and high-calorie meal usually spent with the family, followed by a barbeque or a picnic the next day. Each country has its own traditions. Let's see what are the ways to spend Easter in the world.
Do you want to go around Europe looking for curious Easter traditions? there 5 last minute destinations for you.
Easter in the world: the egg hunt
Widespread tradition in Britain, In United States and in general in Anglo-Saxon countries, the egg hunt is thought above all for children. It can be organized by the family, neighborhood, school, church or town where you live. It requires a certain amount of eggs, real or plastic or chocolate, to be hidden within a predefined area, usually outdoors. These are decorated and colored eggs. The children look for them and collect them and at the end of the hunt there are several prizes. For those who have collected the most, for those who have found the largest, consolation prizes and so on. Why eggs? Because they are a symbol of fertility and rebirth. And this is why they are so widespread in a festival that celebrates, paganly, the arrival of spring and the blossoming of the fields.
Easter around the world: Easter witches
In Finland it is tradition that children, and the girls above all, dress from little witches, with salvaged clothes, dirty faces, hats and willow branches in hand. They go from house to house and they promise to drive away evil spirits in exchange for a treat. Which is usually a chocolate egg. In some areas of the country this ritual does not take place on Easter Sunday, but on Palm Sunday. In the western regions each village lights up one bonfire to huntand with fire the evil sprites.
Easter around the world: pay attention to Mondays
La Poland it is a nation still closely linked to religious rites. So going to church is part of the Easter tradition. Many families still do bless food which will be served on the table during the celebrations, bringing small portions of food during mass. The real fun begins instead on Easter Monday. On this day the boys chase the girls with buckets, water guns, and any other tools that allow them to soak them. But fear not, tradition has it that anyone who gets wet will get married within the year.
Something similar happens in Hungary. A spray of perfume or scented water and asks for a kiss in return.
Easter in the world: the record-breaking omelette
A Haux, a town close to Bordeaux, in Francehas been a tradition for about 30 years cook a giant omelette. The record omelette can hold up to 4.500 eggs and feed over a thousand people. Although it is a recently born rite, many prefer to attribute itsorigin to Napoleon. In fact, it is said that the future emperor of France passed through Haux and ate an omelette. Impressed by her goodness, he would order a giant one for the next day in order to feed his entire army. The record-breaking omelette is being prepared on Easter Monday.
Easter in the world: out of the old
Easter day a Corfu, Greece, throw away the old and make room for the new. It is indeed tradition throwing terracotta objects out of the window. THEn particular pots, vases and other kitchen tools, directly on the street. It all begins with the sound of the bells, which starts this collective rite. It seems that its origin goes back to the Venetians, who however used to throw the old one on the first day of the year. In Corfu, Easter was chosen because it was the most important date on the calendar. As well as the symbol of the arrival of summer.
Easter in the world: other curious facts
In the medieval village of Yardsin Spain, Holy Thursday is procession time. This is the "dance of death”, In which you participate dressed as skeletons.
In Australia the Easter rabbit, a sort of Easter Santa Claus typical of Anglo-Saxon countries, is replaced by the Easter Bilby. The bilby is a rodent, frankly ugly since it looks like a mouse. But the rabbit in those parts is reputed to be a destroyer of fields and crops, so they prefer this local animal.
In Norway i detective novels and thrillers, widely read at Easter when you have more time to enjoy a book in peace, have real dedicated editions. In fact, since the XNUMXs, there have been Paaskekrimmen, published for the occasion.
