Why Do We Give Eggs at Easter?

There are many associations with Easter, some of which come through the religious side of the festival, others predating even the associations with Christianity while others are more recent.  So why do we give eggs at Easter?  And how did many of the other traditions come about?

Easter egg associations

There are lots of reasons we associated eggs with Easter.  One example is that in Medieval Europe, it was forbidden to eat eggs during Lent so eggs laid during that time were boiled or preserved.  When Easter came around, eggs could once again be enjoyed and were a gift given to children.

Eggs are also associated with fertility and as a symbol of new life dating back much further.  Ancient Egyptians, Romans and Persians all gave eggs as part of their spring festivals, with the Spring Equinox being 21^st March, just before the typical date of Easter.

These associations have developed into the Easter eggs we know today – brightly coloured with dyes or paints and decorated in all manner of ways.  Egg hunts are another traditional part of Easter along with rolling eggs down hills, with the most famous version of the game taking place on the lawn of the White House in Washington DC every year.

Middle Eastern Orthodox Christians and those in Greece paint their eggs bright red to symbolise the blood of Jesus Christ while hollow eggs were decorated with religious images as part of the celebrations in Armenia.  Many Germans give green eggs on Holy Thursday and hang hollow eggs up onto trees while Austrians put a tiny plant around the egg before boiling it, creating delicate patterns on the eggshell.

While the chocolate Easter egg has taken over the market here in the UK, there are still ways to maintain the traditions in a contemporary way.  One such way is to give the gift of a personalised eggcup to children at Easter.  This encourages them to enjoy eggs and is a bridge between the modern world and ancient traditions.

Other Easter traditions

Everyone recognises the Easter Bunny but rabbits and hares are associated with both spring and fertility.  The root of the Easter Bunny story comes from Germany, where parents told their children that an Easter hare would hide eggs for them to find.  The tradition followed German immigrants to the US, where the story continued to grow and the tradition of baking cakes for the hare began.  It is thought this is where the associations between Easter and chocolate developed – a very clever idea!

Giving cards at Easter is a Victorian tradition.  Stationers at the time added the image of a rabbit to cards and these were sent to loved ones at Easter.  In the US, Easter cards are big business, being the 4^th most popular holiday of the year behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Easter parades started in Medieval Europe when after Mass, the churchgoers would follow behind a crucifix or an Easter candle.  People would join the parade wear their finest clothing include bonnets they would make particularly for the day.