Is Easter The Same Around The World? Yes or No

Why Do We Have Easter? Origin of the name Easter is unknown Probably comes from the goddess Eastre Her month was April and her festival was celebrated on spring equinox Celebration to awaken the sleeping Gods (Greeks)

Related to the Jewish festival of Passover Taken from the name Pasch, another name for Easter celebration of the coming of the Messiah

Why does the date change? Easter is celebrated the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 21) Easter can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25 There are as many as 5 weeks difference between the celebration of the Western Church and the Orthodox Church

The Western Church and the Orthodox Church follow different calendars The Western Church set a strict date of March 21 st being spring The Orthodox Church using the stars and moon to determine Easter

Easter Traditions Around The World Russia Roll eggs down a hill trying to crack others people eggs without cracking their own Go to church at midnight After Church they return home to a big feast of Easter Bread, Cake, sausage, bacon, cheese and milk Go to their friends homes and give them painted eggs and Easter Bread

Greece Start preparing on Thursday Candle lighting ceremony A family feast of Lamb and dyed eggs All eggs are dyed red Egg cracking tradition, hit your egg against someone else egg, the egg that did not break is the winner and thought to be lucky

Bulgaria The people have egg fights, at the end of the fight however still has an unbroken egg is thought to have success during the year The oldest woman in the family rubs the cheeks of the children with the first red egg she has dyed to symbolize her wish that they have rosy cheeks and good health Mexico Children smash eggs over each others heads, luckily these eggs are filled with small pieces of paper instead of raw egg

United States Eggs are hardboiled and dyed Chocolate candies are bought In many homes families gather for a big Easter Dinner Children participate in Easter egg hunts The Easter bunny visits children at night and leaves a basket Germany The yolk is removed from an egg and the eggs are then decorated a hung from trees during the Easter week

Easter Eggs And Bunnies The Easter bunny started in Germany Children believed that “Oschter Haws” would lay a nest of colored eggs Children would build a nest out of their caps (boys) and bonnets (girls)

Eggs were dyed in ancient times by the Egyptians People gave decorated eggs as presents to their friends and servants

Rabbits are a symbol of new life The hare was an important part of a pagan festival of Eastre At some point the hare was replaced by the rabbit

References Information Pictures (greek goddess) (snowflake eggs) (Easter bread) (Mexican Eggs) (bunny) (egg cracking) (egg rolling) (passover) (passover meal) (March calendar) (April calendar) (spring moon) (moon and stars) (Easter basket and candy) (Easter nest w/eggs) (Easter bunny) (Ancient eggs) (boy giving away egg) (hare) (cross) (bunny with basket of eggs) (decorated eggs in bowl) (candle) (tulips)