Traditional Polish Easter eggs, called “pisanki”.
Today we are increasingly aware of the melting pot that is the United States of America. The upcoming holiday of Easter is one of Christianity’s most important and celebrated events symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As I am a non-Christian, I decided to investigate this holiday in order to understand how this extremely religious event connects with bunnies, eggs, and chocolate.
Here’s what I found from Enjoy the Moment Rituals:
“Easter is named after a pagan (Saxon) goddess who was known by the names of Oestre, Eastre or Ostara depending on where you lived. She was a goddess of the dawn and the spring and her name, which literally means east, derives from words for dawn, the shining light arising from the east. Ostara was the goddess of fertility and was responsible for heralding the end of winter, bringer lighter and longer days after the vernal equinox. Ostara had a passion for new life. Her influence could be felt in the flowering of plants and the birth of babies, both animal and human. The rabbit, known for its rapid reproduction skills, served as her sacred mascotte.”
To add to our knowledge and understanding, here’s the symbolism for eggs which I found to be fascinating:
“The history of Easter eggs as a symbol of new life is obvious when you couple it with the pagan tradition as a symbol of fertility and new life. So these traits were adopted as well in Christianity although with a different meaning. Easter eggs (empty and decorated) in this narrative are a symbol for the empty tomb of Christ and are often colored red as a reminder of the sacred blood that Jesus Christ had shed. But even more so because in the early Christian calendar eggs were forbidden during Lent, a 40 day period of fasting. This made them extra appealing and delicious. The brightly colored eggs honor this celebration.”
Now here’s where it gets innovative – chocolate eggs and bunnies became a marketing tool for the chocolate companies which have now become heavily associated with delicious treats during Easter. I say, why not bring some delicious tea along to the party? If your weather is anything like what we’ve got going in the Pacific Northwest this week, it’s rainy and cold unfortunately. I think hot tea would be an outstanding addition to the menu. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a warm climate, than home brewed iced teas would be an excellent choice. We have the power to develop and maintain family rituals that our children and grandchildren will remember and pass along to their families one day. You have the opportunity to make TEA part of your Easter celebration.
(Editor’s note: If you’re looking for a way to incorporate tea into your Easter traditions, try dying your Easter eggs with tea!)
Happy Easter to all of our Christian friends around the world.
How fascinating!! I was raised in a Christian family and then decided to follow Jesus Christ myself later in life, but had never heard anything so complete as this description of the tie-ins to eggs and the word Easter. And, like all religious holidays, businessmen/merchants will take advantage of the occasion to make a little extra, kind of like the merchants whose tables Jesus overturned in the temple. Many Christians I know feel this holy-day is even more special than Christmas.
Thank you, Michelle.