Beloved Easter traditions!
Have you ever heard of the hen from heaven or even the fox as the bearer of Easter eggs? Do you know why people still gather around the Easter bonfire today? Why eggs are dyed at Easter, and how Easter got its name?
Why the heck does the rabbit bring the eggs?
Folk beliefs are as diverse as the people who follow them, and so, depending on the region, other animals were also considered to be the bringers of Easter eggs. In Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony, and Thuringia, the Easter rooster had this task for a long time; in Carinthia, Tyrol, and the Odenwald, the sky hen and the Easter bird were responsible; in the Rhön region, Alsace, and Thuringia, the stork brought not only the children but also the Easter eggs. Other birds such as the cuckoo, crane, and capercaillie brought the eggs in the Solling region, the Altmark region, and among our Swiss neighbors. In Hesse, Westphalia, Hanover, and Friesland, the goat was essentially made the henhouser, with the fox being promoted from egg thief to egg supplier. And in Fulda, the Palm Donkey's role as egg deliverer has a deeply religious background. Holy Week begins one week before Easter, on Palm Sunday, and ends on Easter Saturday.
In the Vosges Mountains, even church bells were used as egg-receivers. There, children are told that the bells fly all the way to Rome on Maundy Thursday to collect the eggs, and on their return journey on Holy Saturday, they drop the eggs over the gardens and fields where the children can find them.
The Easter Bunny beats competitors and makes a career
In the 19th century, the Easter Bunny gradually but surely prevailed over its many competitors. Master Bunny became truly popular when he became a toy figure, a leading character in picture books, and, not to mention, a chocolate Easter Bunny. Since then, Easter has been a staple of the Easter Bunny.
Oh my gosh!
First red, then gold, then colorful. As early as 3,000 years ago, the Chinese, Egyptians, and even our Germanic ancestors gave painted eggs as gifts during the Spring Festival as a symbol of fertility and a sign of the eternal return of life. Since the 12th century, red-colored eggs have been the tradition in Western and Central Europe. They symbolized the blood of Christ. In Eastern Europe, however, the gold-colored egg was more common. Over time, eggs became more colorful and more decorated. The egg enjoyed a career as a craft object around the world. Icon-painted wooden eggs from Russia, porcelain eggs from France, Italian glass eggs from Murano, enamel eggs from Austria and England, carved eggs from China, and even batik eggs from Romania. The egg was taken to the extreme as an art object by the French goldsmith Fabergé, who crafted valuable eggs of gold, silver, and jewels for the Russian Tsar Alexander III. Fabergé created a total of 50 of his legendary eggs for the Russian royal family, each containing a valuable piece of jewelry. At Sotheby's auction house, one such egg from 1902 fetched a whopping 12.5 million euros—a real gem!
A rabbit as an egg supplier?
The hare doesn't lay eggs, but he brings them anyway. The story of the Easter Bunny dates back to the 17th century. Back then, most families had a "herb garden" where they grew vegetables and lettuce for their own needs. Parents would hide colorful Easter eggs in it for their children. Since hares often came to gardens in spring to feast on the fresh greens, adults invented the story of the hare bringing Easter eggs. Incidentally, the timing of Easter also suggests a connection to the hare. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday of the spring full moon, and the hare is considered a lunar animal.
Hurray, hurray the Easter fire is burning!
The Easter bonfire has a long tradition. Among the pagan Germanic tribes, spring bonfires were lit at the equinox to drive away the winter spirits. This custom continues to this day, and large bonfires are lit on the night leading up to Easter Sunday, especially in northern German regions. For this purpose, large quantities of flammable material are collected on the banks and along the rivers along the Elbe, in Hamburg, and in the Altes Land region, starting as early as Christmas Day. As darkness falls, the bonfires are lit alternately on one bank and then the other. An impressive spectacle! For over 500 years, the Easter bonfires in Hamburg have been called "Hildebrand" or "Holy Fire." They are said to ward off witches and other evil spirits. Those named Hildebrand need not worry about evil spirits.
No less spectacular are the Easter wheels in the mountain regions of the Alps. Giant wheels made of brushwood or wagon wheels wrapped in straw are set ablaze and rolled from the mountains into the valley. Symbolizing the sun, they are meant to drive away winter from every corner. Easter fires are truly iconic!
How Easter got its name
According to the Anglo-Saxon historian and theologian Bede, the name Easter goes back to the Old English name for the month of April, “Eosturmonath”; another assumption is that the name Easter is derived from the Germanic light and spring goddess Ostara.
Delicious lambs
In the Christian faith, the "innocent" Easter lamb is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. In the Old Testament, the lamb appears several times as a sacrificial animal, for example in the famous story of Abraham and Isaac. In Christianity, this symbol was transferred to Jesus Christ, the "Lamb of God", because according to Christian belief, he sacrificed himself as a representative of humanity. To this day, the lamb is a symbolic Easter pastry on many breakfast tables. It also has a long tradition as a roast. The lambs were the first meal after the seven-week Lent. In addition, in the spring, the herds have to be decimated of the young goats to maintain peace within the flock. So they end up on the table. Therefore, young animals, 30 to 40 days old, are preferred, as their tender meat tastes particularly good in spring.
And what else can you do at Easter?
You would need to have international experience…
Off to Bulgaria for egg throwing
Bulgarians don't hide Easter eggs—they throw them at each other. However, they do so in such a way that the egg doesn't break. Those who manage this feat are said to have much success in the coming year.
The Swiss take it sportingly
Easter customs vary from canton to canton. In Valais, for example, residents only went barefoot on Good Friday to avoid disturbing the earth. On Easter Sunday, sunrise is ushered in with a dance of joy, with the sun symbolizing the resurrection. Those in good spirits also do three somersaults.
Of cheese wedges and big hats…
In Italy, the Easter tree is decorated with colorful ribbons and delicious pieces of cheese. The children are then allowed to raid them. In Spain, a gift is baked into the Easter cake—just for the little ones, of course! And in England, people make large Easter hats decorated with eggs that look like large nests.
We love change
In Chile, children collect change using a rag doll called "Judas." The rag doll is then hung in the village square and set on fire, causing the coins to fall from the traitor's pocket. The children thank Judas and use the money to buy sweets.
Make Peace Not War
Less folkloristic, but all the more political, is the motivation behind the Easter marches of the peace movement, which has been drawing people to the streets since the 1980s in protest against the nuclear arms race. To this day, the call for secure world peace is heard every Easter.
