Surely, you’ve heard of Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny. Did you know, though, that people have water-fights during Easter in some countries? And there’s also a thing about children dressing as witches in another country during Easter time.
Different countries have different traditions regarding how they celebrate this holiday. Some traditions date back centuries ago; some are quite unusual to say the least.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom – Egg rolling
In some areas in Great Britain, egg-rolling competitions are held. Eggs are being rolled down a hill in an attempt to see whose egg goes the furthest without breaking. The most famous competition takes place in Preston, Lancashire. Egg rolling is actually a tradition that made its way to America too — the White House has been hosting their own version since 1878.
🇫🇮 Finland – Little Easter Witches
The children of Finland have their Easter customs too, and they involve pretending to be witches. On Palm Sunday, the kids put on their old dresses and paint little freckles on their faces. Then they grab willow branches that have been decorated with ribbons and go from house to house wishing the owner luck in exchange for chocolate eggs and other sweets. Sounds a lot like Halloween, but during spring time.
🇵🇱 Poland – Śmigus-Dyngus (Wet Monday)
The Monday after Easter is called in Poland Śmigus-Dyngus. On this day everyone in Poland tries to get someone else wet. Water buckets, garden hoses, water guns — people use whatever they can find to soak each other. Anyone you meet can become your target on this day. It’s believed that the purpose of the custom was to represent spring rains which helped crops grow.
🇸🇪 Sweden – Easter Bonfires
During this time of the year, large fires are lit in Sweden to commemorate Easter. It has something to do with an ancient superstition that said witches would fly up a certain mountain and meet the devil on this day before Easter. Therefore, large bonfires were meant to keep them off. Nowadays, Easter bonfires are just an opportunity for neighbours to gather around a bonfire. The children go house to house asking for sweets, just like in Finland.
🇬🇷 Greece – Pot Smashing
This tradition takes place only in the Greek island of Corfu, but it surely stands out among others. On the morning of Easter Saturday, people throw clay pots out of their windows and balconies. The noise when they all smash on the streets is unbelievable. It’s done in order to drive away the winter and welcome spring.
🇧🇲 Bermuda – Kite Flying
Bermuda is well-known for its Easter custom of kite flying. Nobody knows exactly how the tradition started, though one popular story says a Sunday school teacher once used a kite to explain Christ’s ascension to his class. People build colourful kites of all sizes and fly them on Good Friday. Kites are handmade and look pretty impressive with their geometric shapes and bright colours.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia – Fasika
In Ethiopia, Easter is called Fasika. Before it, people go 55 days without eating any meat or dairy at all. When the 55 days are finally over, everyone celebrates with huge feasts. White clothes are worn for the occasion and families come together for fun and joy.
🇵🇭 Philippines – Street Parades
Some towns in the Philippines hold Easter street parades where some scenes from Easter story are being played out. In several locations in the country, people actually let themselves be nailed to the wooden crosses as a symbol of faith and devotion.
🌍 What they have in common
There are various ways of celebrating Easter. However, one thing remains the same for all the countries - they celebrate new life, family gatherings, and fun.