Everybody loves the Easter Christian holiday – the chocolate bunnies or egg hunts – but did you ever stop to think about where these traditions came from? How did a celebration of Christ’s resurrection come to be celebrated with rabbits and chocolate eggs, and is it a pagan holiday?
We have these traditions because Easter was originally a pagan festival – much like Christmas. As Christianity gained popularity, many pagan customs and rituals were integrated into Christian festivals like Easter. Let’s take a closer look at the pagan origins of Easter and the different foods eaten on Easter around the world today.
While Christmas was a celebration of the winter solstice, Easter celebrated the spring equinox for the pagans. Pagans lived their lives in strong accordance with nature’s rhythms and patterns, and solstices and equinoxes were considered to be sacred times.
A solstice marks the longest or shortest day of the year, while an equinox symbolises the day when daylight and darkness are balanced. This equinox shows the end of one season and the beginning of another. In the northern hemisphere, Easter falls on the spring equinox.
When winter ends, nature experiences rebirth and renewal. This is naturally a cause for festivities and celebrations as the darkness ends and plants and leaves start to regrow after the cold winter.
The History of Easter Celebrations
Easter holiday has a rich and diverse history that spans over 1,700 years, deeply rooted in ancient pagan traditions that were later woven into the fabric of the Christian faith. The early Christian church marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but many of the symbols and customs we associate with Easter today have their origins in pre-Christian pagan cultures.
One of the earliest recorded celebrations of Easter dates back to the 2nd century. Early Christians in the Middle East would dye eggs and give them as gifts to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. This practice mirrored ancient pagan rituals, where the egg was revered as a symbol of new life and fertility. The egg represents Jesus’ resurrection, symbolizing the new life that comes with spring.
In Europe, the influence of pagan traditions on Easter is particularly evident. The Easter bunny, for instance, has its roots in the Germanic goddess of spring, Eostre, who was often depicted with a hare. This mythical creature, the Osterhase, was believed to lay eggs for children, blending seamlessly into the Christian narrative of rebirth and renewal.
As Christianity spread across Europe, pagan traditions were gradually incorporated into Easter traditions. Over time, Easter evolved into a holiday celebrated by millions worldwide, with each culture adding its unique customs and traditions. From egg hunts to the Easter bunny, these practices continue to bring joy and a sense of continuity to the holiday.
How Easter’s pagan origins were adopted into Christianity
Around mid-300 AD, Christianity increased in popularity in Rome, then the centre of the world. In 312, Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and ended the ongoing persecution of Christians. However, he knew that just because he had converted didn’t mean that pagans would stop following their rituals and traditions and pray to pagan gods.
So, he slowly started to adopt existing pagan rituals into Christian festivities. In 325 AD, the church council – known as the Council of Nicaea – decided that Easter’s celebration should fall on the Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox. And thus Easter Sunday was born, becoming a significant date in the Christian calendar, with symbols associated with nature’s rebirth and renewal coming to be associated with the resurrection of Christ.
If you are interested in Pagan Christmas traditions, you might also want to check out These 6 Christmas Traditions Are Actually Pagan Customs.
Where does Easter get its name from?
In most of Europe, Easter is a celebration of the Jewish festival of Passover, which occurs at a time similar to the spring equinox. So, in Greece, Easter is called Pascha; in Italy, Pasqua; in France, Paques; and in Denmark, Paaske. But in Germany and English-speaking countries like England, Easter is named after the pagan springtime goddess Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility.
Easter’s symbolism and foods
Now that we understand Easter’s origins as a celebration of spring with pagan roots, the symbolism slowly starts to make sense. Let’s take a closer look at where Easter’s symbolism came from.
Where did Easter eggs come from, and how do they relate to Jesus?
Eggs symbolise new life and rebirth, just as nature returns to life after the cold winter or Jesus is resurrected after the crucifixion, reflecting the easter heathen traditions. Decorating and eating eggs on
Easter first became a custom during the Middle Ages, when people decorated and ate hard-boiled eggs following Easter Sunday mass after fasting throughout Lent. This ritual is still popular in many Eastern European countries, where you’ll find families hand painting and eating actual (non-chocolate) eggs on Easter.
Why is Easter associated with a rabbit?
The eggs may make sense, but how did a rabbit come into all of this, and what are the pagan easter traditions behind it? This symbolism can be especially strange when you consider that rabbits don’t even lay eggs!
But it all ties back to the concept of fertility, rebirth, and renewal as celebrated by the pagans. The sacred symbol of the goddess Eostre was a hare, and rabbits have long been considered a symbol of fertility due to their ability to reproduce quickly and in large numbers.
But the first official mention of rabbits or hares in association with Easter was only made in 1722, in a folklore book by Georg Franck von Franckenau, a German writer. One story in this book mentions an Easter hare that hides coloured eggs for children to find – the first written mention of an Easter egg hunt. Since the book was a collection of folklore, it’s reasonable to suggest that Easter egg hunts were already a custom.
In the 19th century, the greeting card industry experienced a boom. This was because more people could send and receive postal letters and parcels. As a result, card companies—like Hallmark—started to market particular holidays with fun and festive greeting cards. Easter was one of them. Cards started to appear with cute illustrations of rabbits and Easter eggs, popularising the connection between Easter, bunny rabbits, and colourful eggs.
Why do we eat chocolate on Easter?
So when did we stop eating hard-boiled eggs and start eating chocolate eggs and bunnies instead, and how did this transition shape the Christian holiday of Easter? Around the same time, greeting cards were booming. In Germany, eating sweet, edible Easter bunnies (Easter Hare) was popular – though these were made from a sugared pastry.
At the time, chocolate was consumed as a beverage rather than a solid sweet, and it was still rather bitter, as cocoa is known to be. However, Cadbury, then a new company, was experimenting with solid forms of chocolate. They jumped on the Easter bandwagon and started marketing chocolate Easter eggs. We never stopped eating them, and today, chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies are one of Easter’s biggest treats.
Why do we eat hot cross buns on Easter?
OK, what about the infamous hot cross buns, and how do they connect to the pagan holiday traditions? Believe it or not, cross buns are another pagan tradition. These were taken from the Saxons, who would bake fresh bread in honour of the goddess Eostre.
The fresh buns were marked with a cross. At the time, the cross represented the four quarters of the moon, the four seasons, and the wheel of life. It’s easy to see why cross buns were adopted for Christian festivities, as the symbol strongly connects to the crucifixion of Christ.
The Evolution of Easter Traditions
Easter traditions have undergone significant transformations over the centuries, shaped by a blend of cultural and religious influences. One of the most notable aspects of this evolution is how the Christian faith has embraced and adapted many pagan customs and symbols.
Take the Easter bunny, for example. Originally a symbol from pre-Christian pagan cultures, the Easter bunny has been reimagined within the context of Christian celebrations. Today, the Easter bunny is often seen as a whimsical figure that delivers eggs and treats to children, symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus and the joy of new life.
The tradition of decorating eggs has also evolved fascinatingly. In ancient pagan cultures, eggs were adorned with intricate designs and patterns, symbolizing new life and fertility. This practice was seamlessly integrated into Easter celebrations, and today, decorating eggs remains a beloved tradition. Families gather to dye, paint, and embellish eggs, creating beautiful symbols of the season.
Cross buns offer another glimpse into the evolution of Easter traditions. These sweet, spiced buns, marked with a cross, were originally baked in honour of pagan deities. The cross symbolized the four quarters of the moon, the four seasons, and the wheel of life.
As Christianity spread, hot cross buns were adopted as a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Today, they are a popular treat enjoyed on Good Friday, bridging the gap between ancient pagan rituals and modern Christian practices.
The evolution of Easter traditions reflects a rich tapestry of cultural and religious influences. From the ancient pagan rituals celebrating the spring equinox to the Christian commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection, Easter continues to be a time of renewal, joy, and celebration for people worldwide.
Traditional Easter foods from around the world
Not everyone spends Easter gorging on chocolate bunnies and going on Easter egg hunts in the garden, but many of these practices are rooted in pagan easter traditions. In lieu of being able to travel this year, why not take some inspiration from the various Easter foods from around the world?
Here are a few traditional feasts, desserts, and snacks that symbolise Easter across the globe… Try them yourself, or hire a private chef to create the masterpiece for you!
The 15,000 egg omelette from France
It sounds extravagant, but this mega omelette is made with the intention of distributing it amongst the many villages and towns surrounding Bessières, France. About forty cooks come together to create this giant omelette, which is handed out to the surrounding villagers and served with a slice of bread.
That may be a few eggs too many for you this Easter! But why not join the spirit of generosity and cook up a giant French omelette to distribute to the poor and needy? At the very least, you can share a mega-omelette with your family members and enjoy the spirit of togetherness.
Codfish cakes from Bermuda
Don’t read this the wrong way, codfish cakes are not a dessert but a savoury dish much like the well-known fried fish cakes. You can make these yourself or go all out with a Bermuda-inspired feast led by your private chef. What else do they eat in Bermuda on Easter?
Why, the better known and loved hot cross buns! Start with a delicious codfish cake, flavoured with thyme and parsley, and end with a moist, warm hot cross bun. If you want to adopt some other Bermuda traditions this Easter, go out to the nearest beach and fly a kite with your loved ones.
Dove-shaped Easter bread from Italy
Colomba di Pasqua is a traditional Italian bread or cake. It is recognised as the Easter version of the infamous Christmas dessert panettone. The dough is similar to panettone, but that’s where the similarities end. Colomba di Pasqua is traditionally shaped like a dove, contains candied fruit peels, and is topped with lots of almonds and pearl sugar.
Another popular Easter dish in Italy is brodetto pasquale, which is similar to a frittata that’s made using early spring vegetables. Again, eggs are a strong symbol here as well as the freshness of spring veggies and the first renewal of the plants. Try your hand at making these recipes or enjoy them as part of an around the world Italian Easter feast.
Lamb, eggs, and braided bread from Greece
Greek Orthodox Easter falls on a different date from Catholic Easter, but plenty of feasting remains to be enjoyed after Easter Sunday.
You’ll find delicious roasted lamb, red-dyed hard-boiled eggs, and tsoureki on a Greek Easter table. This is a type of braided bread flavoured with orange zest and spices. The red-dyed eggs are typically served on the bread before baking.
As a snack, there’ll be plenty of cheesy filo pastries of both the sweet and savoury varieties. Like we said, Easter comes with quite the feast in Greece – so you can either spend the lead-up being busy in the kitchen or let a private chef do all the hard work for you!
Get in touch with our team now to start planning your dream Easter feast – at home, at church, or wherever you like.