Easter Traditions vary between countries
When we think of Easter here in the UK, we often think of bonnets, bunnies and chocolate. Who doesn’t love a good Easter egg hunt, searching high and low for delicious sugary treats!
But not everyone has the same Easter traditions, as we found out during a recent conversation at our WiseUp Base. So we decided to check out a few and share them with you!
Flower carpets in Antigua, Guatemala
Every day of Holy Week, the residents of Antigua decorate their streets with dyed sawdust, native flowers and plants to create the most gorgeous designs. There is no set theme, but residents of the streets often start planning months in advance what each day’s deign will look like in their road. The carpets are trampled everyday by the processions of the devout, and so are renewed each morning, often changing completely.
There are thousands of beautiful creations each year, many of which can be seen with a simple Google search. This article by Garden College shows a few of our favourite designs!
Image Source: Pixabay
Bermuda Kite Flying Festival
As far as Easter traditions go, this one looks like great fun! People gather at Horseshoe Bay Beach every year for the annual festival, showing off incredible home made kites. Some are small, others are large and ALL are displayed in the air by families, couples, people young and old. Quite where the tradition comes from is up for debate, with several theories around, but regardless of how it happened, we think it’s brilliant!
Check out this video for a quick glimpse of this fantastic spectacle:
Video Source: Youtube
Eat a GIANT omelette in France
Using anywhere between 4,500 – 15,000 eggs, this enormous eggy creation is served up on Easter Monday in the town of Haux, France. Residents crack the eggs and prepare them at home, before gathering in the main square to deliver their eggs to the Brotherhood of the Giant Omelette. These dozens of chefs then fry up a giant omelette that’s big enough to feed the entire town. It’s said that this tradition dates back to when Napoleon and his men stopped in the town and ate omelettes. This is one tradition we would LOVE to try!
Image Source: Unsplash
Water traditions in Poland, Hungary and Corfu, Greece
In another tradition of disputed origin, residents on the Greek Island of Corfu throw water filled earthenware pots and pans out of their windows on the morning of Holy Saturday. The pots and pans smash down onto the ground below, so watch out if you’re planning a visit to the island over Easter!
Easter Monday is known as Wet Monday in Poland, due to the tradition of people trying to drench each other. Buckets, water guns, hose pipes – everything is fair game! According to legend, girls who get soaked on Wet Monday will marry within the year…
Keeping with the theme of Wet Monday, Hungary’s Easter Monday tradition is called “sprinkling.” This involves boys and young men spraying girls gently with water or perfume (after receiving their permission of course!). Sometimes, they ask for a cheeky kiss afterwards.
Image Source: Unsplash
And so many more!
There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy the Easter period, we can’t possible list them all. Why not tell us how you are celebrating @wiseupteam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Whatever you are up to, have a great one!
Title Image Source: Pexels
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