Easter Trivia

Fun Facts About the Springtime Holiday

Mar 13, 2009 Tina Costanza

Easter is one of the most important holidays on the Christian calendar, yet with it comes baskets and chocolate eggs. How did this come to be?

Following is a compilation of trivia about Easter, to help perfect that card, egg hunt or website.

  • Easter comes from “Eastre” or “Eostre.” Eastre/Eostre was known as the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn, who symbolizes the hare and the egg. In pagan times, a festival was held in her honour.
  • Eggs and rabbits as Easter symbols come from ancient times. Eggs have represented new life and resurrection for centuries. Rabbits and hares, because they themselves are so fertile, have long been connected with the fertility of spring — or season of rebirth after the dead of winter.
  • Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25. The full moon determines the date of Easter. The holiday is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, or after the first day of spring — March 21. Thus Easter can take place on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Eastern Orthodox Churches may celebrate Easter later, as they take other factors into consideration.
  • The decorating of Easter eggs varies from culture to culture. In Greek Orthodox culture, eggs are painted red, to symbolize the blood of Christ, and exchanged. In parts of Germany and Austria, eggs are painted green and used on Holy Thursday. Slavic peoples decorate their eggs in gold and silver patterns. Originally, Easter eggs were painted in bright colours to represent spring sunlight.
  • Chocolate eggs were traditionally given as gifts in Europe. In 19th century France and Germany, small, solid eggs made of bitter dark chocolate were given as gifts. The tradition expanded with the advent of modern technology and availability of cocoa.
  • Ham comprising part of a traditional Easter dinner all came down to practicality. In the days before the refrigerator, hogs were slaughtered in autumn and cured over the cool winter (for six to seven months) — just in time for Easter dinner.
  • Easter baskets are the result of a Catholic custom. Catholics would bring food that made up Easter dinner, such as ham, cheese and bread, to mass, so the priest could bless the ingredients. The custom evolved into the Easter Bunny leaving children baskets filled with jellybean, chocolate eggs, stuffed chicks and any other Easter treat.
  • Egg rolling has religious roots. The Easter Monday tradition of rolling Easter eggs may be linked to Christianity, where this can symbolize rolling away the boulder from Christ’s tomb.

The celebration of Easter comes from — depending on an individual’s beliefs — pagan times or Christ’s crucifixion. Modern-day symbols such as chocolate and painted eggs and the Easter bunny are connected to springtime and the rebirth of nature after winter. The date on which Easter falls is also within early spring. Coincidence? Maybe not.

The copyright of the article Easter Trivia in Entertaining is owned by Tina Costanza. Permission to republish Easter Trivia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Easter in spring: A time for rebirth., Tina Costanza Easter in spring: A time for rebirth.
   
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