From Giant Omelettes To Crime Novels: 9 Easter Traditions Around The World
How is it already Easter Sunday? Most of us were not prepared for this early arrival – I haven’t even tasted a figolla yet!
Easter is a popular holiday celebrated around the world. And although some celebrate it by finding Easter eggs or buying chocolate ones, there are a multitude of unique ways different countries celebrate the Holy Week.
Many of these traditions are rooted in the rituals of Christian-based faiths, but some are just for fun or… taste.
Here are 9 ways in which countries around the world celebrate Easter:
1. Reading crime novels – Norway
Extremely random, this has nothing to do with religion or Christianity, but what else do you expect from a Scandinavian country? Many use their long holiday to cuddle up in a cabin, ski, and read crime novels or watch crime documentaries. The tradition is said to have started in 1923 when a book publisher promoted his new novel on the front pages – which had received tremendous attention.
2. Throwing pots filled with water out of balconies – Corfu
On the Greek island of Corfu, citizens throw pots and pans filled with water out of their balconies on the morning of Holy Saturday, symbolising the new crops that shall be harvested. In Poland, people throw water on each other on Easter Monday, otherwise known as Wet Monday. Legend says that girls who get soaked will marry within the year.
3. Eating a giant omelette – France
Another kind of random one… every year, in Haux, a huge omelette is cooked and served up in the town’s main square. When I say huge, I mean huge – more than 15,000 eggs are used to feed up to a thousand people. This apparently started when Napoleon went to the town, had an omelette, and loved it so much that he ordered that everyone in the town must gather their eggs and make one huge one.
4. Dressing in costumes – Finland
Halloween comes early in Finland – young kids dress up as Easter witches on Palm Sunday in the east, and Holy Saturday in western Finland. The kids go door-to-door, singing a blessing that is meant to drive away all the bad spirits, in exchange for chocolate – sounds kinda familiar…
5. Flying kites – Bermuda
The colourful kites are allegedly launched, during the KiteFest, because of a Sunday school teacher who had flown a kite that looked like Jesus to help students understand Christ’s story.
6. Dyeing Easter eggs red – Greece
Instead of dyeing eggs in different, bright colours, Greeks focus on one singular colour – red. This is doubly symbolic: representing both a rebirth and Jesus’ blood – very similar right? People tend to get very creative, using different shades of red, and creating various designs.
tanjica perovic photography
7. Starting a bonfire – Northwestern Europe
Easter fires were meant to help chase the darkness of winter. However, nowadays it’s mainly just a fun time to gather around with your favorite people and celebrate the coming of Spring. This celebration kicks off on Sunday, and lasts for two days.
8. Going vegan – Ethiopia
While many places around the world tend to maintain some sort of dietary change due to religion like fasting, or reducing their meat consumption, Christians in Ethiopia go completely plant-based, avoiding all animal products. After Sunday service, they have a huge celebration full of food, dancing, and family.
9. Cracking eggs – Jamaica
Jamaicans crack eggs and add an egg white in water, on Good Friday. As the sun rises, the egg heats up making patterns in the water, they believe that these patterns could predict your death.
BONUS: Eating figolli – Malta
The best tradition – nothing beats a good figolla. Figolli may trace back to paganism, more than a thousand years ago, and were made of sweet pastry, and decorated with dyed eggs, probably as a symbol of fertility. Malta can never go wrong when it comes to food, and I’m glad amongst all the religious and non-religious traditions, this stood the test of time.
What Easter tradition is your favorite?
READ NEXT: 'Labour Is Ready To Be The Downfall Of Cultural Heritage': Malta's Barklori Initiate Protest
