Easter custom in Germany: egg hunt and Easter bonfires

Beginning of spring and Easter – they go together better than any other festival. In the Christian church one commemorates the death and the resurrection of Jesus and fittingly the nature around us awakens. No wonder that most of our German Easter customs revolve around this theme.

The Easter bonfires, which blaze in many regions of Germany on Easter night, are meant to drive away the cold winter and bring warmth back to life. The colorful Easter eggs, popular worldwide, have long stood for new life and rebirth. The tradition of giving cooked and colorfully painted eggs at Easter also had a very practical reason in the past. During Lent, according to Christian tradition, no eggs and no meat were eaten. But because hens continued to lay eggs, they were boiled to preserve them. When Lent ended on Easter Sunday, there were eggs in abundance.

The custom of hiding eggs and other treats in the garden or in the park is not quite that old. In the 17th century it is reported in Germany for the first time of a egg hunt on Easter Sunday is reported. Furthermore, the egg hunt is a nice opportunity for a long Easter walk. In and around Coburg in Upper Franconia, the Easter bunny, by the way, already hides the eggs on Maundy Thursday.

But where does the Easter bunny come from? Scholars dispute that. Depending on the region, fox, rooster or cuckoo used to hide the eggs. The hare, symbol of fertility and spring, prevailed over time.

Easter in Norway: Following the snow into the mountains

In Norway people move with the receding snow into the mountains to celebrate Easter in cabins there. Sounds strange, and that's how it's meant: the first Norwegian is said, after the last ice age, to have followed the retreating glaciers north instead of moving south with his clan. With a lot of self-irony, today's Norwegians imitate their ancestor.

Easter in Finland: Easter rooster & birch branches

Whoever, on the other hand, is in Finland over the Easter days might experience their "blue wonder." The Finns "strike" their fellow people – like after the sauna – friendly with birch branches. That is supposed to bring luck. In Finland, by the way, the Easter eggs are laid by the Easter rooster and not by the Easter bunny.

Easter custom in Sweden: Easter witches & Påskmust

As in Finland, in the days between Maundy Thursday and Easter girls in Sweden also go from house to house as Easter women or Easter witches and ask for sweets. As "payment" they give homemade pictures or good wishes from the Easter witches. The children receive their chocolate eggs on Holy Saturday – not in an Easter nest but in a large cardboard egg. For the treats they drink Påskmust, a special malty Easter soft drink.

Easter in Ireland: herring burial

Before the Irish can "plunder" the chocolate in their Easter nests, they first have to get through Lent. And at the end of this "hard" time a herring is buried for fun. Not infrequently such herring burials – not entirely selflessly – are organized by the local butchers.

Easter customs in France: flying bells

As with the Irish, in France lamb is traditionally eaten at Easter — as a roast or as a chocolate figure. Also popular are small chocolate bells, which children in Germany are more likely to snack on at Christmas. In France, "flying bells" rather than the Easter bunny bring the eggs and sweets. Between Good Friday and Holy Saturday the church bells are traditionally silent. That is why people say they have flown to Rome. On their return they have all sorts of sweets in their luggage.

Easter in Switzerland: somersaults at sunrise

In the canton of Valais in Switzerland people greet Easter Sunday in a very athletic way: even before sunrise they go in a procession up a hill and greet the first rays of sunshine with three somersaults.

Easter custom in Poland: the "wet Monday"

In Poland Easter visitors should rather bring an umbrella. It could happen that they suddenly get wet even under a blue sky and the finest sunshine. On "wet Monday" the Poles remember the baptism of their first ruler in the 10th century — and therefore "baptize" all fellow countrymen and tourists with water pistols and water balloons.

Easter custom in the Czech Republic: Easter rod & colorful Easter egg

When a young man and a young woman meet at Easter in the Czech Republic, a very special "barter" takes place. He "hits" her symbolically with an Easter rod made of braided and decorated willow twigs. This is supposed to give her some of the tree's strength and life energy and keep her healthy and happy throughout the year. In return she gives him a brightly painted Easter egg.

Easter custom in Spain: Caramelles singers and processions

In Spain Holy Week and the Easter festival are a tourist magnet. When religious brotherhoods, clothed in hooded robes, in long processions walk through the streets and carry statues of saints or the symbols of the Stations of the Cross on their shoulders, one feels transported back to old times. That it does not have to be all so serious is shown by the Catalan Caramelles singers. Children and adults go through the streets and sing not only religious songs. As "reward" they receive eggs, sausages and sweets.

Easter custom in Italy: Easter dove & Easter parade

Whoever celebrates Easter in Italy needs a lot of patience. At the traditional processions the faithful sometimes move forward so slowly that they take hours for a kilometer. Whoever perseveres is rewarded with the "Colomba Pasquale" (Easter dove) as a reward, a yeast cake in the shape of a dove, which is filled with all kinds of candied fruit, raisins and almonds.

Easter custom in Greece: red eggs & egg tapping

In Greece, Easter is perhaps the most important festival of the year. Accordingly there are countless traditions and Easter dishes. A funny one is the egg tapping': On Maundy Thursday the eggs are boiled and dyed red. At Easter you then tap your egg against another person's egg. Whoever's egg remains intact wins. Anyone who wants to take part in this fun should take a close look at their opponent's Easter egg. Some jokers even use red-painted wooden eggs for this.