Easter Around the World by: Delani Bauer
- HSU Brand
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
As Easter approaches on April 20, it serves to remind us that holidays are celebrated many different ways around the world.
Hardin-Simmons University holds Christian holidays in special regard, and Easter is no exception. To celebrate Easter, SABERS is hosting an egg hunt for all HSU students on April 14, with more information to come. No matter how you celebrate this holiday, it is important to appreciate the diversity of different Easter celebrations.
In France, church bells are a key part of Easter celebrations. In keeping with tradition, after remaining silent from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, the bells are said to develop wings and fly, delivering candy to the children.
In Poland, people drench one another with buckets of water. Traditionally, water symbolizes baptismal water, representing purification. In Norway, residents spend their Easter reading crime novels or watching detective shows. In the Czech Republic, the tradition involves decorating sticks with ribbon and “whipping” passing girls, a ritual believed to bring them good health.
In the United States, Easter is celebrated in many different ways. For Taryn Russell, freshman social work major from Breckenridge, the holiday is spent with family.
“When my family gets together the day before, my cousins and I dye eggs that will be hidden. It is a great way to bond with family.”
Food and Fun
No Easter celebration is complete without food. In the U.S., families commonly dine on ham and deviled eggs, both traditional favorites. Eggs, in particular, are symbolic of the rebirth and resurrection of Jesus. In many cultures, eggs are commonly filled with sweet treats and hidden as part of an Easter egg hunt.
In Ukraine, eggs are intricately hand-drawn using hot wax, creating beautiful designs known as Pysanky eggs. In Greece, Easter eggs are exclusively dyed red to symbolize the crimson blood that Jesus shed on the cross.
In New Zealand and parts of Austria, a common Easter tradition is dining on hot cross buns. These sweet buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and are marked with a cross in symbolization of Jesus.
In Ethiopia, Christians observe Fasika, or a 55-day period before Easter. During these days, Christians refrain from eating meat, preparing themselves for a large Easter meal following the church service.
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