Easter, the oldest and most important Christian festival, will be observed on March 31, 2024. The holiday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many American adults mark the event by attending special church services. For children in the US, Easter means egg hunts, parades, and the Easter Bunny. But not everyone celebrates the holiday with these traditions. Here are a few fun customs from around the world.
Sweden and Finland
Easter is like a mini-Halloween for children in Sweden and parts of Finland. On the Thursday before the holiday, they dress up as witches and give neighbors handmade Easter cards and drawings in exchange for candy. Upon returning home, they receive large Easter eggs filled with homemade chocolates from their parents.
Norway
Norwegians celebrate the week-long Easter holiday by reading crime novels and watching murder-mystery shows. To keep up with their appetite for Easter crime, or Paaskekrim, publishers churn out several new thrillers, while television channels add crime dramas to their daily schedules. Dairy companies also get into the spirit by printing crime-related stories on their milk cartons.
The unusual custom is credited to a 1923 advertisement for a new crime book called Bergen Train Looted in the Night. It was published a week before Palm Sunday and featured on a local newspaper's front page. This caused many to believe it was a regular news article. The gimmick drove so many sales that publishers began releasing crime novels around Easter. Television producers joined in soon after, and a unique tradition was born.
Corfu, Greece
On Holy Saturday, the residents of Corfu, Greece, toss water-filled clay jugs called "botides" onto the streets. The tradition, which welcomes spring, is believed to have been inspired by the Italians. They throw out old dishes on New Year's Eve to indicate they are ready for a fresh start.
Florence, Italy
On Easter Sunday, hundreds of Italians dress up in 15th-century clothing and escort a 30-foot-tall (9-meter) antique cart filled with fireworks to the Florence Cathedral. The archbishop of Florence sets off the colorful display during Easter mass by lighting a fuse attached to the cart. The fun tradition is called the "Scoppio del Carro," or the "Explosion of the Cart." It is believed to ensure a good harvest in the upcoming year.
Happy Easter!
Resources: asimn.org, visitnorway.com, Wikipedia.org, News18.com, theculturetrip.com
