Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs

• Many civilizations believed that the world began as an egg.– Yolk as sun – The rest; the earth

• Egyptians & Greeks buried eggs with dead

• Why eggs so important?– Egg is the beginning of life– Given new hope

• Egg represents life and symbolizes new life

• Before using egg as a symbol people participated in egg hunt for egg was important food source for survival.

• Children participated in egg hunt and were given a prize if their egg was most beautiful and colorful

• As children’s egg hunt spread many eggs were dyes and hidden the night before the hunt

• The hunts continued when many tribes were converted to Christianity and in many places it has become a teaching tool

• Orthodox Christians were probably the first to color the eggs to explain the true meaning of Easter– Red

• In Middle and Dark Ages eggs were decorated with religious images

• In Germany green eggs before Good Friday Easter tree was created for hanging eggs

• In Scandavian nations and British Isles instead of hiding the eggs children went from house to house begging for brightly colored eggs. To earn that, they have to act out part of the Easter story; egg pacing

• Decorating Easter eggs became artistic

• During Lent season eggs were on the list of food that can’t be eaten in medieval times

• Easter basket– Bag or hat

• Egg hunt were forbidden for it had pagan roots like Christmas– Groups like Puritans forbid Easter and

Christmas

• For several hundred years children knew nothing about Easter eggs tradition

• Easter comeback during 1850’s in England and U.S.

• During Civil War President Lincoln started egg-rolling contest.

• Faberge

• Although eggs represent the recurring cycle of life Easter eggs were adopted by Christians to symbolize the eternal life

• Powerful lesson of faith

Easter Bunny

• No connection between this character and any element of Christianity

• Yet Easter bunny is the reminder of the coming Easter

• Oestre, pagan goddess which Easter might have been derived – Drives the winter away and reawakens

the world for its annual rebirth in spring

• A bird became a rabbit and it still laid eggs. Oestre gathered the eggs laid by the bird and gave to the world’s best children.

• First connection of the eggs and rabbit• When the pagan worshippers became

Christians the story disappeared• In Germany rabbit got involved in

Easter lore for bunnies populated there

• In Middle age Easter egg hunt took place in open field or meadows– Eggs were often found where the rabbits

fled

• Easter bunny first appeared in Germany– In 1500’s books were published– In 1800’s they made edible bunnies

• German and Dutch immigrant brought Easter bunny to America as Ostcher Haws, a large, white rabbit– Bring beautiful eggs to those who have

been good all year

• Acceptance of the Easter bunny– The Tale of Peter Rabbit– Bugs Bunny– Gene Autry’s Peter Cottontail in 1950

• Though no connection to Easter he opens up the opportunity for Christians to share the real reason of Easter: Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the tomb two thousands years ago