Entertainment

Easter Traditions

Reading 5 min Article Intermediate

Vocabulary - 7 nouns, 1 verb, 5 adjectives

Do you celebrate Easter?

Whether you celebrate or not, you probably know some symbols of this Christian holiday.

From a rabbit who hides eggs to rocket wars, there are some fascinating Easter traditions.

Common Easter Traditions

First, let’s discuss some well-known Easter customs and their history!

Lent

For 40 days before Easter, Christians prepare to celebrate the resurrection, or rebirth, of Jesus Christ.

Traditionally, people fasted during Lent. These days, most people just quit something for 40 days—like eating sugar or smoking.

Easter eggs

As we mentioned, Easter is about rebirth. Eggs are a symbol of new life—that’s why you see a lot of them at Easter.

Egg decorating has been around since at least the 13th century. One possible reason is this: Eggs were forbidden during Lent, so Christians decorated them at Easter to celebrate the end of their fast.

Easter Bunny

At Easter, children search for eggs (often chocolate) supposedly hidden by the Easter Bunny.

The Easter Bunny originated in Germany where it’s called Osterhase (“Easter hare”). By the 1700s, this furry character had come to the US.

Chocolate

What’s Easter without chocolate?

Chocolate eggs began in Germany and France in the 1800s, but they were bitter and solid.

In 1875, British chocolate company Cadbury began making hollow chocolate eggs filled with dragees.

Chocolate bunnies were likely invented in Germany. They became popular in the US around 1890 when a store displayed a 1.5-metre-tall chocolate rabbit to advertise Easter.

Egg tapping

This game is centuries old. To play, you hold a boiled egg and knock it against someone else’s. If their egg cracks and yours doesn’t, you win!

Unique Customs

Now, check out some traditions you might not know about!

Kite Festival

The Kite Festival takes place in Bermuda at Horseshoe Bay beach. Participants fly colourful kites to represent Christ’s ascent to heaven.

Danza de la Muerte

In the town of Verges, Spain, there’s a custom called Danza de la Muerte (“Dance of the Dead”) in which people dress up in skeleton costumes and perform dances.

Rouketopolemos

In the Greek village of Vrontados, two churches have a “rocket war” (Rouketopolemos). Church members shoot homemade rockets back and forth, trying to hit the other church’s bell tower.

Take Your Pick

Which of these interesting Easter traditions is your favourite?