Easter in Europe

In many parts of Europe, huge bonfires are lit on hilltops and in churchyards over Easter. They are sometimes called Judas fires, because effigies of Judas Iscariot are frequently burned in them. The Easter bonfires predate Christianity and were originally intended to celebrate the arrival of spring. The burning effigy once symbolized winter.

England

Easter is often celebrated by the exchange of Easter Eggs and other gifts such as money, clothes or chocolate. Some people make Easter bonnets or baskets containing daffodils or mini eggs. There are often Easter bonnet competitions at local schools and community centres. The Easter bunny is very much a part of the Easter tradition in England and the shops are filled with thousands of chocolate eggs. Hot-cross buns are popular foods on Good Friday and shops sell dozens in the dozens in the week before Easter. These are sweet fruit buns with crosses on top. Another traditional fayre for Easter is Simnel Cake, which contains a layer of marzipan in the middle. Many people decorate eggs for Easter Sunday breakfast and go to Church to celebrate the rising of Christ. Those attending Church services on Palm Sunday are usually given a cross made of palm fronds.

Spain

Easter, known as Semana Santa, is a big holiday in Spain and every town has its own celebrations. Most of this revolves round the Church, but there are processions all over the country. The festivities will be mainly on 1st and 2nd April in 2010, but most businesses will probably close on Saturday 3rd April as well, giving nearly a week off. Semana Santa dates back to the 16th century when the Church decided to present the story of the Passion of Christ in a way that the layperson could understand. It was decided that the best way to do this would be a series of processions through the streets, depicting scenes from the story of the fall and rise again of Jesus Christ.

France

The French call the festival Paques. The main celebration starts on Good Friday with a solemn note. Church bells do not ring for three days starting from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. This is a token of mourning for the crucified Christ. Early on Easter morning the children rush into the garden to watch the bells “Fly back from Rome”. As the small folk scan the sky for a glimpse of the returning bells their elders hide chocolate eggs. Like many Catholic countries, it is traditional to eat fish on Fridays and Good Friday is no exception.

Italy

Italians call the festival La Pasqua. Easter is celebrated with a huge feast in this Mediterranean country. The Paschal feast is celebrated with ‘Agnellino’, Italy’s special dish for Easter. This is a roasted baby lamb. Children enjoy a rich bread made specially for the Easter. It is shaped like a crown and studded with colored Easter egg candies.

Germany

The Germans call the festival Ostern, possibly after the Anglo Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre. School children have about three week’s holiday at Easter. No-one works on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Many people eat fish on Good Friday and on Easter Saturday evening there is often a big Easter bonfire. This is very popular and lots of people gather to watch. These Easter fires are burnt as symbols of the end of the winter and any bad feelings. On Easter Sunday families have breakfasts together and the parents then hide Easter baskets with sweets, eggs and small presents. Hand-painted eggs decorated with traditional designs are exchanged among friends. Earlier, it was customary in many regions for the village girls to present their suitors with a red egg. Many eat fish on Good Friday.

The Netherlands

The Dutch call Easter, Pasen or Pasen Zondag. Throughout the country Easter is celebrated as a great spring holiday. People lay tables for Easter dinner with charming decoration of colored eggs and early flowers. Sweet bread stuffed with raisins and currant, is one of the favorite dishes of the Easter feast.

Sweden

In Sweden Easter is called Påskdagen. Throughout the country the egg is regarded as a symbol of life and resurrection and it is featured in all Easter food and Easter games. Every household has egg colouring parties and egg-rolling contests are the favourite Easter activity of younger boys and girls. Palm Sunday is observed with palm fronds. The Easter Eve is celebrated with bonfires and fireworks lives on as the tradition.

So many holidays have become so commercialized in the modern day that we’ve lost the story of where it all started. For Christians throughout the world, Easter is the celebration of the life and resurrection of Christ, so where do bunnies and chocolate and egg hunts come in? Before the coming of Christ, Easter was originally a pagan celebration. The ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival commemorating their goddess of offering and of springtime, Eastre. This ancient goddess was worshipped through her earthly symbol, the rabbit, hence the Easter Bunny.

Easter was converted to Christianity at the same time as the pagans who celebrated the festival. Easter happened to fall at the same time as the Christian observance of the resurrection of Christ, so that the pagan feasts began to be celebrated in a Christian manner. As the word spread throughout ancient Europe, each region adopted its own means of celebration, based on their own cultures and traditions.