In its simplest terms, the Easter holiday is a weird mix of symbolism that somehow manages to combine brutal religious iconography and ancient fertility. As with most pagan festivals, the Christian church entwined the spring fertility celebrations with its own. Now we have a holiday that combines the serious religious theme of salvation with a beribboned bunny, plus the over-zealous beast of modern consumerism.
Many pagan cultures held festivals in spring to celebrate fertility and the renewal of life after winter. The Germanic goddess of fertility was called, Eostre (sounds familiar), while other cultures called the holiday Ishtar, which celebrated the resurrection of another pagan god, Tammuz.
What does this have to do with eggs and bunnies?
For pagans, eggs were a symbol of new life, while for Christians they represent Christ’s emergence from the tomb. Eggs were forbidden during Lent, so to mark the end of 40 days and nights of fasting and penance, eggs would be decorated, given as gifts and eaten on Easter Sunday.
Rabbits have a well-earned reputation for prolific procreation, so have been a symbol of fertility since ancient times. The Easter Bunny originated from a German tradition involving an egg-laying rabbit (yeah, unusual, right) known as “Osterhase”. Children invited the creature into their house by making nests upon which it could lay its coloured eggs. Over time, the nests became baskets and the eggs became chocolate. Now we have Easter egg hunts and an abundance of chocolate treats to last well into the summer.
Easter traditions across the world
Easter traditions vary across the globe. In Italy, re-enactments of the Easter story are performed in public squares. In Cyprus, they light bonfires in church yards. Males in the Czech Republic spank the females of their families with homemade whips decorated with ribbons. That light-hearted tradition is said to bring good health.
A huge omelette, large enough to feed 1,000, is made in Haux, France. On Good Friday, the skies over several islands in the Caribbean are filled with homemade kites – a symbol of Christ’s ascension to heaven. In Greece, they throw pots of water from windows and bake cakes in the shape of doves called “kolompines.”
A more recent German tradition, called Osterbrunnen, involves decorating public wells and fountains with elaborate greenery and Easter eggs. Neighbouring villages compete to produce the most fanciful fountains.
Americans love their holiday parades, and Easter is no exception. It is an old superstition that wearing new clothes on Easter Sunday brings good luck for the rest of the year. Wealthy women of New York wanted to show off their new finery and wore hats with elaborate feathers and trimmings to celebrate the end of Lent. From the 1870s, after attending their church services, the ladies wanted to show off their fabulous new outfits and would parade down Fifth Avenue. It was not long before average citizens started to turn up to watch. The tradition of dressing to the nines in vintage clothing and Easter bonnets continues.
I hope you have enjoyed my small insight into some of the traditions of the Easter season. At heart, it is a combination of pagan rituals and ancient superstition.
Happy Easter!
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