Easter Sunday is probably one of the most awaited and important festivals for Christians worldwide. It is to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. It is celebrated widely throughout the world and there’s more to the holiday than pastel painted eggs, or an intense sugar-rush from all that chocolate binging.
Before we all get a little too excited about the holiday, here are some facts about Easter you probably never knew about.
1. The Most Expensive Easter Eggs
Back in 1885, Tsar Alexander the Third, wanted to give his wife an Easter anniversary gift, so he contacted a jeweller, Peter Carl Faberge. Faberge made a white-enamelled golden egg that has a gold yolk with a golden hen and ruby eyes in it. Every year after that, he ordered an intricate detailed egg, with it’s own exclusive unique design. These eggs continue to represent the height of opulence.
2. Good Friday Kites of Bermuda
According to legend, there was a Bermudan teacher that needed an easy way to demonstrate the Ascension of Christ into heaven. He used a kite decorated with Jesus’ image to ensure the image imprint in their minds. Due to this, in Bermuda every Good Friday is celebrated with multi-coloured kites all over the skies.
3. Symbol of Fertility
The explanation for the Easter Bunny goes back, into the old Anglo-Saxon festival of Eastre, to celebrate the spring goddess, whose symbol is the rabbit. The rabbit, became associated with Easter when the Germans who settled down in Pennsylvania brought from their motherland stories of the mythical egg-laying bunny.
4. Easter Witches
In Sweden and certain parts of Finland, a witch dress up takes place a few days before Easter. Kids dress-up like little witches and go from door to door asking for candy, somewhat like Halloween. This tradition is based on an old belied that witches would fly to a mountain before Easter to cavort with Satan, and on their way back the Swedes would light fires to scare them off. This pratice is honoured till today by the bonfires that are lit leading up to Easter.
Hot cross buns seems to be traditionally eaten on Good Friday, mainly in Greatt Britain. This fruit and spices infused sweet bread with a white cross. A few years ago, there was a rumour circulated that the City of York banned these buns in public school to avoid offending non-Christians.
6. New Clothes for Good Luck
According to an old wives tale, that one must wear new clothes during Easter in order to have good luck throughout the year. In the mid 1800s, the people of New York used to parade their finery along Fifth Avenue after exiting the churches.
