Easter is another special time on the calendar and another opportunity to spend time with loved ones. There are many ways that people across the globe celebrate Easter, such as attending church, eating fish on Good Friday and giving each other chocolate Easter egg treats. Yet, there are more colourful traditions that make us wish we could jump on a plane and experience them all. Here are just a few traditions that Christians around the world will be enjoying during Easter this year – very colourful traditions!
Ostereierbaum in Germany
The egg is the symbol of new life during Easter, and those celebrating Easter in Germany decorate their trees by hanging colourfully painted ornamental eggs from the branches – a centuries-old tradition. Families start hanging eggs from their trees about four weeks before Easter, so that they have a lovely tree to adore for Easter time. The most famous tree in Germany is the Saalfelder Ostereierbaum, or Saalfeld Easter egg tree, located in Thuringia. Each year, Volker Kraft decorates his tree with over 9,000 eggs. His tree is now a popular tourist attraction each year.
Easter Hat parades in the UK
I remember being a part of the Easter Hat parade at school as a kid. As part of the parade fun, we would each wear a big hat, or sometimes known as a bonnet, that would be elaborately decorated in colourful tissue paper and streamers. The parade would bring so much colour and good cheer to all and all the kids would be in the running to win a prize for the best decorated hat. For Australians, this tradition credits its origins in 16th century England when it was a tradition to wear new clothes or a bonnet during Easter time. This tradition is also embraced in America too.
Kite-flying in Guyana
The coastal areas of Guyana, located in northern South America, are packed with locals flying their homemade kites on Easter Sunday and Monday. The sky becomes awash with beautifully coloured kites in all shapes and sizes; an activity that people of all religions in Guyana enjoy partaking in.
The Easter carpets of Antigua, Guatemala
Easter in Guatemala is a spectacular time when processions travel down the streets laden with statues of Jesus Christ. Another colourful element to Guatemala’s Easter celebrations is the lining of cobblestone streets with colourfully dyed sawdust, flowers and pine needles by the locals. Each street is “carpeted” by these materials, measured out to create a kaleidoscope of intricate patterns. The processions pass over these carpets.
Do you celebrate Easter in a colourful way?
