Here comes the Easter Bunny!!!

 

Easter is the most important feast in the the Christian year. Traditionally, the Easter Season lasted for the forty days from Easter Day until Ascension Day but now officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. The first week of the Easter Season is known as Easter Week or the Octave of Easter. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of prayer and penance.

 
Germany

The Easter Bunny

The easter bunny is not a modern invention but a traditional one. The symbol originated from the goddess, Easter, who was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The symbol of the rabbit was brougth to America by the Germans. As with the Easter Bunny and the holidays, the Easter eggs made its way through. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is an old custom when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or for peasant the eggs are colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers. Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs : those made of plastic or chocolate candy.

Cuba

Easter all around the world

Every nation and every culture have there own customs and traditions regarding festivity celebration. There is something unique about everyplace that sets it apart from other. This holds true for Easter customs and traditions:

In England, as a part of Easter tradition, people eat hams. So as to glorify the resurrection of Lord Jesus, people in Britain host special parades. Churches are adorned with lovely lilies. As a part of party time celebration, dance performances take place for which the Morris dancers are invited. In small towns, pancake races are held. People dance to the tune of Easter springtime songs and enjoy themselves.

In the United States of America, annual carnivals are held, in order to honor Jesus' return to life. The major highlights of this New Orleans carnival are parade and music troupes. American kids have been maintaining the custom of playing their very favorite game called Easter egg roll. They are fond of eating hot cross buns during the Easter springtime festivity. As a part of the American tradition, sunrise services are conducted with the very purpose of including different Christian groups into participating into the event.

Australia, has a different style of celebrating the Easter festivity. There are certain things that are specific to Australia. For example, in major part of Northern hemisphere, Easter bunny has a special importance related to Easter festivity. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most important symbols of Easter. But in Australia, Easter bunny is said to have a bad history of destroying the vegetable crops and owing to this, the Australians have found another alternative Easter symbol, namely Bilby. Easter traditions in Australia are truly unique.

Germany: during Easter people eat fish as part of the easter feast. Egg hunt game is very popular among the germans. Another game enjoyed by the children is chocolate kiss. The kids ligth huge special bonfires on easter eve. German people prepare a special recipe called Cruller, which is a kind of thick doughnut.

China

Thus, every nation has its own traditions and customs, but one thing that is common is that all the countries participate enthusiastically in Easter celebration and that is what matters at the end of the day.

Pahminee Guddoy
Manon Soucasse