Have you heard of these fascinating British Easter traditions? Great Britain is an ancient island, full of superstition and tradition. When Easter comes around visitors to the UK are often surprised by some of the strange events, parades and practices they find. We’ve put together a list of some of the fun things the British do during Easter and some of the wonderfully weird events that take place. Some you may have heard of, but others will certainly be new!
1. Easter egg hunts First of all, an easter egg is a hollow, egg-shaped chocolate treat. Children (and adults!) all over the country look forward to their baskets of Easter eggs, which they receive on Easter Sunday.
Children are told that the eggs are delivered by the Easter Bunny.
Yes, that’s right – a rabbit.
The story of the Easter Bunny comes, originally, from German folk stories. The rabbit lays the eggs and delivers them to the children if they have been good over the Easter period.
Easter Egg hunts often take place on Easter morning if the weather is good. Adults hide small Easter eggs in the garden, house, or village and the children must follow clues in order to find them. Usually, there are enough Easter eggs for all the children to enjoy.
2. Egg paintingEggs, as you may by now have guessed, are a big part of Easter in Britain. They symbolise new life and represent the rebirth of Jesus.Before we had chocolate eggs, children would often decorate real eggs to mark the occasion. A lot of children still enjoy doing this, but the chocolate eggs are far more popular of course!If eggs and bunnies sound like strange symbols, it’s because Christianity probably appropriated them from older, paganistic religions, but no-one knows for sure. Rabbits often represent fertility and eggs are said to symbolise new life in spring.
3. Hot Cross BunsHot cross buns are another delicious tradition in UK. These raisin filled buns are toasted, lathered in butter and before being enjoyed with a nice cup of tea.The crosses symbolize the Christian belief that Jesus died on the cross for their sins.
4. Maypole DancingMaypole dancing is another Easter time tradition in Britain – and in other parts of the world too. Dancers hold on to colorful ribbons which are attached the the top of a large pole and dance in patterns, often to live music played by the village band.The tradition certainly comes from our pre-Christian heritage but has been a big part of the celebrations at Easter times for centuries.
5. Nutters danceNot only is this tradition unique to the UK, but it is unique to a particular village in the UK. The dance troupe is called the Britannia Coco-nut Dancers, or the “Nutters” for short. These dancers perform their show during Easter in a village called Bacup in Lancaster, England.They dance for 11 km through the village and drink a pint of beer in every pub they stop at along the way. The eight dancers dress very strangely, with clogs (wooden shoes), a red and white skirt, black trousers and shirts. They also paint their faces black, which some people don’t like very much, as they say it is racist. However, the dancers say it’s simply a type of mask and is not intended to represent a race.
On the Friday before Easter, Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is a day of mourning in church and special Good Friday services are held where Christians meditate on Jesus's suffering and death on the cross, and what this means for their faith. Calling it 'Good Friday' may seem a bit bizarre, but some people think that it was once called God's Friday or Holy Friday.
SYMBOLS OF EASTERMany of the symbols and traditions of Easter are connected with renewal, birth, good luck and fertility.THE CROSSOf course as it is a Christian festival one of the main symbols is a cross, often on a hill. When Jesus was crucified, the cross became a symbol of suffering. Then with the resurrection, Christians saw it as a symbol of victory over death. In A.D. 325, Constantine issued a decree at the Council of Nicaea, that the Cross would be the official symbol of Christianity.
PALMSThe week of Easter begins on Palm Sunday. Why Palm Sunday? Well, in Roman times it was customary to welcome royalty by waving palm branches, a bit like a ticker-tape parade. So, when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on what is now known as Palm Sunday, people welcomed him with palm branches carpeting the streets and waving them. Today, on Palm Sunday, Christians carry palm branches in parades, and make them into crosses and garlands to decorate the Church.
HOT CROSS BUNSHot cross buns, now eaten throughout the Easter season, were first baked in England to be served on Good Friday. These small, lightly sweet yeast buns contain raisins or currants and sometimes chopped candied fruit. Before baking, a cross is slashed in the top of the bun. After baking, a confectioners' sugar icing is used to fill the cross.An old rhyme was often sung by children awaiting their sugary treat:"Hot cross buns,hot cross buns,one a penny, two a penny,hot cross buns.If you do not like them,give them to your sons,one a penny, two a penny,hot cross buns."
Easter LiliesThe white blossoms symbolize the purity of Jesus. Lilies, emerging from the earth in the spring, also symbolize new life and the resurrection of Christ. Daffodils and tulips bloom in the spring, and symbolize spring and new life.
The ButterflyThe Butterfly is one of the significant symbols of Easter. Its whole life cycle is meant to symbolize the life of Jesus Christ. The first stage, is the caterpillar, which stands for His life on Earth. Second phase begins from the cocoon stage, portraying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. The third and final stage is the butterfly, representing His raising from the dead in a glorified body and peace.
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