The Story of Easter

By Christians, Easter is celebrated as the religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Some people celebrate Easter but it has nothing to do with Jesus. The word Easter is thought to have come from the Scandinavian word, "Ostra" and the Teutonic words, "Osten" and "Eastre.

Many of the early Christians were Jewish. They were brought up in the Hebrew tradition and regarded Easter as a new feature of a Passover celebration. Easter is at the end of the Lenten season. The Lenten Season is 46 days and begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls 40 days before good friday, and ends with Easter. Sundays are considered a commemoration of Easter Sunday and have always been excluded from the Lenten fast. Holy Week, the last week of Lent, begins its with the observance of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday takes its name from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palm at his feet. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which was held on the evening before Crucifixion.

Traditions

The Easter Rabbit tradition is a symbol of fertility. In most houses in the United States, the Easter bunny comes and gives baskets of Easter treats. The Easter bunny also hides Easter eggs inside and out side. The inside eggs are normally plastic filled with different types of candy. The outside eggs are usually real, hard-boiled eggs.

The Romans celebrated the Easter season by running races on an oval track and giving eggs as prizes. Two traditional Easter egg games are the Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Egg Roll. The Easter egg hunts can also be a community celebration. The Easter Bunny can hide many eggs all over town and the children would run around seeing who could find the most eggs.

The objective of the Easter Egg Roll is to get your egg to roll the farthest with out breaking. This game is usually held on a grassy hillside or slope. The most famous Egg Rolling takes place on the lawn of The White House. Hundreds of children come with their Easter baskets filled with brightly colored and decorated eggs. While rolling them on the lawn children are hoping the President is watching them!

Eggs

The tradition of coloring eggs is a symbol of the spring's sunlight. The eggs are usually used for Easter egg hunts and Easter egg rolling contests. After eggs were colored with designs and were exchanged by lovers and admirers, kind of like Valentines Day. In the Medieval Times, the Easter eggs were originally given to the servants. In parts of Germany, eggs and other Easter gifts were given to the children.

In Greece, people believed that they were to color their Easter eggs crimson to honor the blood of Christ.

In Germany and Austria, eggs were colored green and exchanged on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday).

Slavic people decorate eggs in special patterns in silver and gold.

Austrian artists design patterns by fastening ferns and little plants around the boiled eggs. When the plants were removed it shows a striking white pattern.

The Poles and the Ukrainians decorate eggs in simple designs and colors. Some of the eggs are made in the distinctive manner called Pysanli. Pysanli eggs are masterpieces of skill and workmanship. Melted beeswax is applied to fresh white egg. It is then dipped numerous times in baths of dye. After each dip, wax is painted over the area where the preceding colors it to remain. There are many more ways different ways eggs can be decorated!

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Created: 15 December 2002

Information From: http://www.holidays.net/easter/ copyright: 1995-2002

Information From: http://wilstar.com/holidays/easter.htm copyright: 1998-2001