Weird and Wonderful Easter FactsEaster around the

world

The Easter goddess

Easter treatsThe origins of Easter

Easter traditions

EostreThe English word,

“Easter” comes from a Saxon pagan goddess.

Her name was Eostre and she was the , “goddess of the

growing light of spring” in Northern Europe.

Why does the date of Easter change?

The date of Easter changes each year as it is based on the moon. Easter is celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon following March 21st.

different calendars

Easter is celebrated at different times by Christians in Eastern and Western Europe. In 2016 western churches will celebrate Easter Sunday on 27th March but Orthodox Easter Sunday will

be celebrated on 1 May (based on the Julian Calendar).

Countries in blue calculate the date of Easter using the Gregorian calendar, while countries in green use the Julian.

LambThe custom of lamb for Easter dinner comes from the Jewish Passover holiday. On that day, a sacrificial lamb was eaten at the Passover Seder.

The Christians adopted the lamb as a symbol of Jesus and retained the custom.

Easter eggsPeople like to roll eggs, hunt eggs, eat them decorate them at Easter.

Why do we exchange eggs at Easter time, what do they represent?

The Christian church adapted many pagan customs and the egg, as a symbol of new life, came to represent the Resurrection.

The Oldest Easter Eggs

This ostrich egg from Egypt dates to about 2,000 BC. The oldest decorated eggshells, are estimated to be 60 000 years old and were found in South Africa.

In fact, in many ancient cultures the egg was a symbol of 'fertility', 'rebirth‘.In Egyptian mythology, the phoenix burns its nest to be reborn later from the egg that is left. Hindu scriptures say that the world developed from an egg.

psankyIn the Ukraine and Poland people create decorated eggs called Psankas. Symbols

and colours have special meanings.

ROSE = LOVE

CURLS = PROTECTION

DEER = WEALTH

WHEAT = HEALTH

POPPY = BEAUTY

FISH = CHRISTIANITY

The Tallest Easter EggThe tallest chocolate Easter egg ever was

made in Italy in 2011.

At 10.39 metres in height and 7,200 kg

in weight, it was taller than a giraffe and heavier than an

elephant!

The Most Expensive Eggs

The most expensive Easter eggs are made by Choccywoccydoodah in London. They are made with luxury Belgian chocolate and cost £25,000 for three.

The Easter Bunny

The character of an Easter Bunny began in Germany, where he delivered Easter treats to children. He was known as Osterhase. The children built a nest for him to leave their eggs in.

.For the Pagans the hare symbolized the goddess Eostre and fertility. A legend about Easter says that she found an injured bird. The only way she could save the bird was to turn it into a hare. The little bird survived as a hare, but kept its ability to build nests and lay eggs.

76% of people eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first.

How do you eat your Easter Bunny?

Easter in australiaAustralians don’t like rabbits because they

cause so much damage to crops.They have an Easter Bilby instead.

Easter in AmericaMarshmallow Peeps the most popular

non-chocolate Easter candy.

The White House hosts an Easter Egg Roll on the front

lawn each year. This tradition was started by President

Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878.

Jelly beans are also popular.

Easter in the UK

CompetitionsMany UK schools have Easter egg decorating competitions and Easter bonnet competitions.

Hot cross bunsThe pagan Saxons would bake cross buns at the beginning of spring in honour of the goddess Eostre. The cross represented the rebirth of the world after winter, the four quarters of the moon, and the four seasons and the wheel of life.The Christians replaced their pagan meaning with a Christian one – the resurrection of Christ at Easter.

Simnel cakeThis traditional cake is decorated with 11 marzipan (for the 12 disciples minus Judas who betrayed Jesus).

.

Easter in Colombia

Colombians eat them for Easter. Turtle egg omelettes, iguana soup and capybara stew

are all popular dishes.

What do these animals have in common?

Capybara Iguana Turtle

Easter in SLOVAKIAOn Easter Monday boys used to chase girls around with a whip (a switch) made from willow branches (korbáče) This kept the girls beautiful and “springy” (like the twigs) for the whole year. Girls rewarded the boys by giving them beautiful

hand-decorated Easter eggs, chocolates, liquor, or even money.

They also poured buckets of cold water on them.

Nowadays, only a cup of water is splashed into a girl’s face.

Easter in THE NETHERLANDS

Some Dutch towns light huge bonfires for Easter. The largest Easter fire was almost 46 meters high.