Many Easter customs go back to traditions that existed before Christianity itself. Both Easter and the coming of spring are symbols of new life. The ancient Egyptians and Persians celebrated their spring festivals by painting and eating eggs. This is because they considered the egg as a symbol of fertility and new life. These Christians also adopted the egg as symbolic of new life, the symbol of the Resurrection.
Another reason for the custom of giving eggs on Easter Sunday as a gift is because in the early days of the Church, eggs were forbidden food during Lent. With the ending of Lent, people were so glad to see and eat eggs again that they made it a tradition to eat them on Easter Sunday.
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Fact File: In the legends of ancient Egypt, the rabbit is associated with the moon and because a symbol of a new period of life. The early Christians therefore took it over and linked it with Easter, the holiday that symbolizes new life. |
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