10 fun facts about Easter you (maybe) never knew!

#1

The Easter Bunny originally comes from Germany

The history of the Easter Bunny is actually more intricate than you might think. While there may seem to be quite a disconnect between eggs and bunnies, there is a logical explanation for why every year, children eagerly hunt for chocolates and sweets that this mysterious figure has (apparently) hidden.

In the same way as Father Christmas was not originally associated with the Christian interpretation of Christmas, the Easter Bunny has no direct link to the religious background of Easter.

The history of the Easter Bunny can actually be traced back to pre-Christian Germany, when the rabbit was a symbol of fertility and the spring goddess.

When Christianity spread throughout Europe, pagan traditions were often assimilated into Christian festivals. In this way, the tradition arose of the Easter Bunny putting together a nest of colourful (now chocolate) eggs for the children who had been on their best behaviour on Easter Sunday.

Source: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/10-fun-facts-about-easter-you-probably-didnt-know/

#2

In Switzerland, they have an Easter Cuckoo rather than an Easter Bunny

Switzerland has an Easter tradition that stands out clearly from the crowd: the Easter eggs in this country are delivered by a cuckoo! Eggs, cuckoos and baskets are all key elements in Swiss Easter traditions. Chocolate cuckoos, colourful eggs and special Easter cakes are proudly displayed in shops and homes in the week leading up to the holy weekend to stimulate joy and expectation among children in particular.

Source: https://www.swissclubnsw.com/post/2017/04/01/the-easter-egg-its-history-and-cultural-significance

#3

Easter is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess “Eostre”

Easter is one of the most important events in the Christian calendar around the world, but did you know that the name of the festival can be traced back to a pagan goddess?

Researchers believe that Easter is actually named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. She is depicted as a goddess of fertility, dawn and light, and was celebrated at pagan festivals to mark the coming of spring. This neatly illustrates how pagan festivals have been merged into Christian celebrations.

Source: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/10-fun-facts-about-easter-you-probably-didnt-know/

#4

In Poland, people wish each other “Happy Egg”

When Poles wish each other “Happy Easter”, they often say: “wesołego jajka”. Strictly speaking, this translates as “Happy Egg”.

#5

The tradition of painting Easter eggs comes from Ukraine

Colourful Easter eggs are known and loved all over the world, but did you know that the practice of decorating eggs is actually a Ukrainian tradition? For generations, Ukrainians have been decorating eggs to honour the gods of health and fertility.

This traditional art form is known as Pysanka (pronounced “pih-sahn-kah”) and involves the use of wax and paints.

Source: https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/

#6

The first hollow chocolate Easter egg in the world was made by the Bristolian Fry family in 1873

Easter is nearly synonymous with chocolate eggs, but when and where did this delicious tradition arise?

The first chocolate eggs actually appeared in the French court in Versailles during the reign of King Louis XIV. Later on, a widow named Giambone living in Turin started producing chocolate eggs by filling empty chicken egg shells with melted chocolate.

However, it was not until 1873 that J.S. Fry & Sons elevated the chocolate egg to a whole new level when they used special moulds to produce the first hollow chocolate eggs. Just two years later, the Cadbury company followed suit, creating the modern chocolate egg in the form we know today. Their secret ingredient? Pure cocoa butter, which made it possible to shape the chocolate smoothly and attractively.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg

#7

In the United States, 16 billion jelly beans are produced in the run-up to Easter

Easter is all about chocolate and eggs, but did you know that there is a national “jelly bean” day in the United States? The day in question is 22 April.

Even though Americans often associate these sweet treats with Easter, many people enjoy them all year round. Jelly beans probably appeared for the first time around the American Civil War, when a Boston-based sweet manufacturer encouraged customers to send them to the Union soldiers.

Food historians believe that the roots of the jelly bean can be traced back to this period. The first known advertisement for these sweets appeared in 1905, when they were on sale for just 9 cents per pound. Jelly beans were previously associated with Easter on account of their ovoid shape, but this link has become more tenuous over the years.

And did you know that jelly beans were President Reagan’s favourite sweets? He even used them as an aid to stop smoking when he was Governor of California! Every year, 16 billion jelly beans are produced for Easter alone in the United States.

If you laid all the jelly beans eaten around Easter in a row, it would be long enough to encircle the globe – three times over!

Source: https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/national-jelly-bean-day-2023/

#8

Pretzels were once the favourite Easter treat

Most people readily associate Easter with chocolate, eggs and roast lamb, but did you know that pretzels can also serve as an Easter snack?

The reason why pretzels have been associated with Easter is that the intertwined “arms” of this tasty treat call to mind hands folded in prayer. In fact, up until the 1950s the tradition in Germany was to eat a pretzel and a hard-boiled egg for dinner on Good Friday.

Source: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/10-fun-facts-about-easter-you-probably-didnt-know/

#9

Dancing in public is prohibited on Good Friday in Germany

Good Friday marks the start of Easter weekend in many countries, but in Germany there is one activity you will not find on the programme for the day: public dancing!

Even in the clubs and bars that make up the pulsating Berlin nightlife, dancing is prohibited on this holy day out of respect for the religious dimension. The rules vary from one state to the next, however. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, it is permitted to play music, but dancing is forbidden. In Bavaria, bars risk a fine of up to EUR 10,000 if they are caught playing any kind of music.

So, Germany, what’s the reason for this prohibition of dancing?
It is a simple matter of respect for the Christians mourning the death of Jesus on Good Friday. In Germany, the Easter holidays are considered a time of peace and quiet.

Source: https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/19/bavarian-boogie-ban-why-is-there-a-dancing-ban-on-good-friday

#10

In Poland, Easter Monday is known as national water fight day

The history of the Easter Bunny is actually more intricate than you might think. While there may seem to be quite a disconnect between eggs and bunnies, there is a logical explanation for why every year, children eagerly hunt for chocolates and sweets that this mysterious figure has (apparently) hidden.

In the same way as Father Christmas was not originally associated with the Christian interpretation of Christmas, the Easter Bunny has no direct link to the religious background of Easter.

The history of the Easter Bunny can actually be traced back to pre-Christian Germany, when the rabbit was a symbol of fertility and the spring goddess.

When Christianity spread throughout Europe, pagan traditions were often assimilated into Christian festivals. In this way, the tradition arose of the Easter Bunny putting together a nest of colourful (now chocolate) eggs for the children who had been on their best behaviour on Easter Sunday.

Source: https://culture.pl/en/article/smigus-dyngus-polands-national-water-fight-day