Author: Maria Alfano
I could talk to you about the Easter traditions in Washington with the egg hunt and the egg roll on the garden lawn, but what fun would that be! It’s a well-known tradition that everyone looks forward to taking their children to every year. There is so much more to Easter than an Easter egg hunt.
So many countries around the world have adopted and brought to North America many of the traditions celebrated today. But, there are some really cool and unusual celebrations that might be fun to adopt into the annual ritual.
So what exactly is Easter? It is the day that Christians around the world acknowledge Jesus’ journey into heaven. It is the day that Christ resurrected from death on the cross and his ascension to being seated at God’s right hand.
Lent is the preceding 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert before returning to Jerusalem to be crucified. Christians fast during these 40 days except on Sundays. It is a time to reflect on what God and Christ gave up to save humanity from eternal sin.
13 Unusual Easter Traditions Celebrated Around The World
Whether Easter reminds you of your spiritual beliefs, a time of family gatherings, or just another store holiday meant to cost you money, Easter goes beyond the pagan rituals. Easter is a time to reflect on what God did for people. He gave His only son up so that we may live a life free from eternal sin. Let’s not allow the commercialization of Easter to deter us from remembering what really took place on the first Easter.
This post will share some of the most unusual Easter traditions celebrated around the globe. Some are really cute and others are just unique.
Solemn Easter Traditions
Today, just like Christmas, Easter is really commercialized. And, it is the 2nd largest holiday for candy sales after Halloween. That said, Easter is more than candies and egg hunts. Many countries around the world including the USA and Canada commemorate the passing of Jesus with some very solemn Easter traditions.
Some churches will perform the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday. This represents the Passover where Jesus shared his last meal with his disciples. Before breaking bread with them, he washed their feet – a symbol that He was not better than any other man.
Many churches will create a re-enactment of the Passion of Christ. Upon his return from the desert, streets were lined with palms and he rode in on a donkey to his ultimate conviction by the Romans. A procession of the stations of the cross along with 14 stops along the way shows the pain and acceptance of His ultimate demise. Each stop represents an event from Jesus’ arduous journey through the streets of Jerusalem on Good Friday.
Global Traditions
Europe
Finland & Sweden – folks decorate their home with many twigs and branches covered in feathers. Children dress up as witches and go house to house collecting pussy willows. These are considered blessings bestowed upon the children.
Italy – different regions in Italy will celebrate Easter differently. Take Florence for example. Easter Sunday mass is explosive – quite literally. The Arch Bishop will light a cart of fireworks during the mass. This is an ancient tradition that symbolized a healthy harvest to come from the annual planting season. In Rome, the stations of the cross are re-enacted around the Colosseum with hundreds of people joining in on the procession. While in Sicily, people dress in costume and harass the villagers until someone buys them a drink.
Poland – Easter Monday is a day for water balloon fights, squirt guns, and buckets of water poured onto unsuspecting family and friends. It is said that a young lady who is doused in water on this day will be married within a year.
Other Countries
Africa – Easter vigil is spent in churches decorated with flowers and butterflies. Hymns are sung throughout the day and into the night. Once church service is over both Christians and non-Christians come together in celebration and enjoy a large feast together.
Bermuda – enjoys a Kitefest on Good Friday. Throughout the holy weekend, they enjoy hot cross buns and codfish meals. Easter Sunday starts with a sunrise mass.
The Philippines – while walking the stations of the cross is not uncommon, Philippinos actually used to nail volunteers to the cross in the not-so-distant past. Eventually, the government put a stop to this practice. Perhaps not an Easter tradition that should be adopted any time soon!
Jerusalem – there is an annual procession that is said to take place on the actual route that Jesus walked while carrying the cross. Someone in the procession carries a cross along the route. Church service is held at the Garden Tomb where it is said Jesus was buried.
fun easter traditions
Easter lilies – a symbol of Christ’s purity. They also mark His re-birth since they lay dormant all winter long and bloom in the spring. Christian churches and homes are decorated with Easter lilies all over the globe.
Easter Bunny – this is the least likely to be close to anything Easter-related, and yet, children everywhere await the arrival of this furry friend every year. Germans in the 1700s associated rabbits with fertility. So they named the Easter Bunny after the goddess of fertility – Eostre. Since eggs represented new life, the Easter Bunny brought fertility and new life to people all around Germany. Thus the tradition was born.
Easter eggs – decorated and painted eggs signified the end of the Lenten season. After 40 days of fasting, the colorful eggs looked pretty on the Easter dinner table and tasted even better.
Create your own hand-painted Easter eggs with kits from Amazon.
In Summary
Easter traditions are celebrated in very unique ways all around the world. While Easter is a very solemn occasion for Christians, there are some traditions that would be nice to adopt and others that should be left alone. We would love to hear from you. What are some of your Easter traditions?