Unique Easter traditions celebrated across the globe

When you think of Easter, you imagine about the delicious chocolate bunnies and candy eggs. However, it is much more than that.

A cornerstone in the Christian faith, Easter is an important celebration because it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his Crucifixion.

In the Christian calendar, Easter follows Lent, which is the 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter. Lent is traditionally observed as a period of acts of penance and fasting. Easter also precedes Holy Week, which includes Maundy Tuesday (the day of Jesus' Last Supper with this disciples), Good Friday (the day of his Crucifixion) and Holy Saturday (the transition from Crucifixion to Resurrection).

The date is determined as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, meaning it does not have a fixed date. Typically, the date falls between March 22 and April 25.

People from all over the world have unique ways of commemorating this holiday, meaning Easter traditions vary across different cultures.

Let's explore some of the unique Easter traditions from around the world.

The United States

As with many Easter traditions around the world, it is a big family occasion in America.

One of the main highlights is the Easter egg hunts, where families search for hidden treasures, especially plastic eggs that contain candy and chocolates. Other highlights include decorating hard-boiled eggs, making Easter baskets and eating chocolate bunnies.

The Easter bunny, often depicted as a long-eared and cotton-tailed rabbit, is one the most beloved figures synonymous with Easter celebrations. According to legend, the bunny visits homes the night before Easter Sunday to hide eggs for the children to discover the following morning.

Another important part of the Easter tradition in America is attending a church service, especially on Sunday morning. Families are typically dressed in springtime attire and make their way to church together. Following the service, they enjoy a large Easter brunch.

In Washington D.C., the White House Easter Egg Roll is an annual event where children roll eggs on the South Lawn. This tradition dates back to 1878, during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes.

Australia

Australia opts for a native twist on the traditional Easter festivities. In fact, it even has a different, and weird, mascot for Easter.

Since the introduction of European rabbits to Australia in the 19th century, they have caused extensive environmental damage. This includes overgrazing and competition with native species.

Instead of the Easter bunny, Australians like to believe in the Easter bilby. This is not only an adorable creature, but an endangered one. In fact, bilby populations declining due to habitat loss and predation by feral animals.

The bilby is also an alternative to chocolate bunnies, with goodies featuring the bilby available in many Australian stores.

With the purchase of a chocolate bilby, a portion of the proceeds is donated to organizations, such as the Save the Bilby Fund. Thanks to these efforts, it not only promotes native wildlife, but also funds habitat conservation and breeding programs.

Germany

While delicately-painted Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies are an important part in German Easter celebrations, it also has other traditions to celebrate this special holiday.

One the most cherished German traditions is the Easter tree, known as the Ostereierbaum. While the origins remain unknown, this tradition has no signs of slowing down. Simply put, it consists of decorating branches and bushes with beautiful hand-blown and painted eggs. The most famous specimen is located in Thuringia, attracting many visitors every year.

Easter bonfires, known as Osterfeuer, are lit the night before Easter Sunday. This practice was traditionally popular in regions such as Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Hanover, often occurring in beachfront areas. This celebrates chasing away the last winter chills and welcoming the arrival of spring.

The United Kingdom

Easter eggs in the United Kingdom are hollow, egg-shaped chocolate treats. Children are told that an Easter bunny brings those eggs on Easter Sunday.

Hot cross buns are synonymous with British Easter celebrations. They are raisin-filled buns made with spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, that are toasted and lathered in butter. The buns are marked with a cross, which symbolizes that Jesus died on the cross for his sins. They are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, which symbolizes the end of Lent.

Another British Easter tradition is maypole dancing. It consists of dancers holding onto colorful ribbons that are attached at the top of a large pole. They also dance in patterns while trying not to trip over each other's feet. Live music played by a village band typically accompanies the dances.

Guatemala

One of the most beautiful traditions of Holy Week is the creation of alfombras (or carpets). No, they are not the rugs in your living rooms. You can find the most elaborate carpets in Antigua Guatemala.

These carpets are beautiful works of art and are often made of flowers, brightly colored sawdust and sometimes, vegetables. Upon completion, religious floats move slowly over the vibrant carpets and the air is filled with aromatic incense.

In other words, the carpets only have a fleeting lifespan and take seconds to destroy, so they are often seen as sacrificial works of art.

Check out my two-part explainer on Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala.

Sweden and Finland

On Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday), kids in Sweden and Finland like to dress up as witches, complete with broomsticks. They wear headscarves, face paint and long skirts to complete the Scandinavian witch costume.

Superstition and witchcraft were traditionally part of Swedish Easter customs and are still loosely observed today. Many years ago, people believed witches flew on broomsticks to Blåkulla the day prior to Good Friday, then returned on the night before Easter.

Similar to trick-or-treating on Halloween, children go from door to door asking for candy. In exchange for the treats, they often offer adults drawings, paintings or decorated willow branches.

France

On Easter Monday, in a town named Bessières, France, thousands of people gather around to cook a massive omelette. It is made using more than 15,000 eggs and over 100 volunteers, which take between 30 to 40 minutes to complete.

According to National Geographic, the omelette is enough to feed 2000 locals and visitors.

The tradition is said to have started with Napoleon Bonaparte, who stopped off at a small hotel and was so amazed with the omelette he ate that he returned the next day with his army and ordered the innkeeper to cook an omelette large enough to feed them all.

Greece

Greek Orthodox Easter is probably the most important tradition for many Greeks. In addition, religion plays an important role, with many people attending a church service on Easter Saturday.

A 40-day fasting period is observed before Easter. This means not eating animal foods with red blood (such as meat and poultry), as well as products that contain red blood (meat, cheese and eggs, to name a few). Fish and seafood with backbones are also avoided during the fasting period.

In this case, Easter eggs are red in Greek culture. Traditionally, eggs are hard-boiled and dyed on Holy Thursday to symbolize the blood of Christ and a new life after Resurrection.

A game, known as tsougrisma, involves players tapping two eggs together while reciting "Christos Anesti" (Christ is risen) and the response, "Alithos Anesti" (Indeed he has). The game keeps on going until one player successfully cracks both ends of his or her opponent's egg.