Millions of children woke up today to brightly colored Easter baskets filled with eggs and candy, gifts from the “Easter Bunny.” The legend of a giant bunny is traced to ancient Europe and is thought to have been brought to America by German settlers in the 1700s. Rabbits and eggs are ancient symbols of fertility, renewal and rebirth. In an annual rite of spring, colored eggs are often hidden and must be found by children in Easter egg hunts. For millions of children, a giant bunny is synonymous with Easter, just as Santa Claus is synonymous with Christmas.
Easter is celebrated in a myriad of ways around the world. The Pope holds a Mass at the Vatican and delivers his “Urbi et Orbi,” or message to the world. The speech is used to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and to highlight injustices that must be addressed. In the Philippines, which is predominantly Roman Catholic, there is a tradition in which large statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are brought together to meet. It’s meant to symbolize the reunion of Jesus and Mary after his resurrection.
Large bonfires are built to celebrate Easter in Finland due to a belief that they will ward off witches. In the French village of Haux [[ OH ]], thousands of eggs are cracked into a huge skillet to create an omelet that’s meant to feed a thousand people. Several families and communities also mark Easter by playing a game where each person gets one egg and cracks it against another player’s egg. The person with the unbroken egg at the end of the friendly competition is supposed to enjoy good luck.
In America, of course, there are church services, Easter egg coloring and egg hunts. There’s also perhaps the most famous Easter egg roll in the world on the lawn of the White House.
