MAIN Home Life Holidays Easter History & Traditions

The history of the holiday, it's religious significance (including where the Easter Bunny sprang from) together with more lore and traditions of Easter celebrations worldwide...

Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Easter's on its way...

Easter - Its Origins and Meanings - A general overview beginning with pagan and Judeo-Christian traditions, the modern celebration, and related essays on the resurrection and Shroud of Turin.

Easter - Wikipedia - Complete encyclopedic information on the holiday throughout the ages, with an overivew of its place in history and world cultures, resources to special prayers liturgical rites, photos & illustraitions, related resources.

Catholic Encyclopedia: Easter - An engaging look at ancient traditions, both Christian and pagan, that arose from the season including strange church customs carried out in the Middle Ages which were ended, the encyclopedia states, "...for obvious reasons."

Easter Traditions and Origins - In-depth, illustrated and entertaining essay on the origins of egg decorating, the Easter bunny, the basket and the lilly, and other related symbols of the season.

Easter Bunny History - A brief account of it's German origins, and click around the rest of the site for more on seasonal symbols, the origins of Easter eggs, and related songs and recipes.

Finnish Easter Traditions - A great read and beautifully illustrated history and lore, including Easter witchcraft traditions and a gallery of century-old images of holiday greeting cards.

also see in Society & Religion -> Christianity

also see in Recipes -> Pizza Rustica (Italian Easter Pie)

Tsoureki - Greek Easter Bread