Easter

=== Easter eggs ===
{{main|Easter egg}}
{{see also|Easter food}}

==== Traditional customs ====
The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and rebirth.<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 April 2021|title=Easter Sunday 2021: Date, Significance, History, Facts, Easter Egg|url=https://news.jagatgururampalji.org/easter-sunday-spiritual-significance/|access-date=3 April 2021|website=S A NEWS |archive-date=3 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403192335/https://news.jagatgururampalji.org/easter-sunday-spiritual-significance/|url-status=live}}</ref> In Christianity it became associated with Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols|title=Easter Symbols and Traditions – Holidays|website=History.com|access-date=27 April 2017|archive-date=25 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225054738/http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols|url-status=live}}</ref> The custom of the Easter egg originated in the early Christian community of [[Mesopotamia]], who stained eggs red in memory of the [[blood of Christ]], shed at his crucifixion.<ref name="SiemaszkiewiczDeyrup2013">{{cite book|last1=Siemaszkiewicz|first1=Wojciech|last2=Deyrup|first2=Marta Mestrovic|title=Wallington's Polish Community |date=2013 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-1439643303|page=101|quote=The tradition of Easter eggs dates back to early Christians in Mesopotamia. The Easter egg is a reminder that Jesus rose from the grave, promising an eternal life for believers.}}<!--|access-date=5 April 2015--></ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TinZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA558 |title=Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 5 |publisher=T.B. Noonan |quote=The early Christians of Mesopotamia had the custom of dyeing and decorating eggs at Easter. They were stained red, in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion. The Church adopted the custom, and regarded the eggs as the emblem of the resurrection, as is evinced by the benediction of Pope Paul V., about 1610, which reads thus: 'Bless, O Lord! we beseech thee, this thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance to thy faithful servants, eating it in thankfulness to thee on account of the resurrection of the Lord.' Thus the custom has come down from ages lost in antiquity. |date=1881 |access-date =24 April 2014|archive-date =1 August 2020|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200801065711/https://books.google.com/books?id=TinZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA558|url-status =live}}</ref> As such, for Christians, the Easter egg is a symbol of the [[empty tomb]].<ref name="tomb1" /><ref name="tomb2" /> The oldest tradition is to use dyed [[chicken egg]]s.

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] Easter eggs are blessed by a priest<ref name="GBN">{{Cite book |date=2000 |publication-date=2000 |title=The Great Book of Needs: Expanded and Supplemented (Volume 2): The Sanctification of the Temple and other Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Blessings |pages=337 |place=[[South Canaan Township, Pennsylvania|South Canaan, Pennsylvania]] |publisher=[[Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary|Saint Tikhon's Seminary Press]] |isbn=1-878997-56-4 |url=https://stmpress.com/collections/service-books-1/products/the-great-book-of-needs-volume-2 |access-date=5 May 2021 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116154319/https://stmpress.com/collections/service-books-1/products/the-great-book-of-needs-volume-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> both in families' baskets together with other foods forbidden during [[Great Lent]] and alone for distribution or in church or elsewhere.
<gallery widths="300px" heights="240px">
File:Pasxalina abga.jpg|Traditional red Easter eggs for blessing by a priest
File:2004 Velikden Pascha Gorazd Andrej Timkovic Presov monastyr.jpg|A priest blessing baskets with Easter eggs and other foods forbidden during [[Great Lent]]
File:Expedition 51 Soyuz Blessing (NHQ201704190004).jpg|A priest distributing blessed Easter eggs after blessing the Soyuz rocket
</gallery>

Easter eggs are a widely popular symbol of new life among the Eastern Orthodox but also in folk traditions in [[Slavic people|Slavic]] countries and elsewhere. A batik-like decorating process known as [[pisanka (Polish)|pisanka]] produces intricate, brilliantly colored eggs. The celebrated [[House of Fabergé]] workshops created [[Fabergé egg|exquisite jewelled Easter eggs]] for the Russian Imperial family from 1885 to 1916.<ref>{{cite book|last1=von Solodkoff|first1=A.|title=Masterpieces from the House of Fabergé|date=1989|publisher=Abradale Press|isbn=978-0810980891}}</ref>

==== Modern customs ====
A modern custom in the [[Western world]] is to substitute decorated chocolate, or plastic eggs filled with candy such as jellybeans; as many people give up candy (sweets) as their [[Lenten sacrifice]], individuals indulge in them at Easter after having abstained during the preceding forty days of [[Lent]].<ref name="Shoda2014">{{cite book |last=Shoda |first=Richard W. |title=Saint Alphonsus: Capuchins, Closures, and Continuity (1956–2011) |date=2014 |publisher=Dorrance Publishing |isbn=978-1-4349-2948-8 |page=128 }}</ref>
<gallery widths="300px" heights="200px">
File:Easter eggs - straw decoration.jpg|Easter eggs, a symbol of the [[empty tomb]], are a popular cultural symbol of Easter.<ref name="Jordan2000"/>
File:Candy eggs in an Easter basket.JPG|Marshmallow rabbits, candy eggs and other treats in an Easter basket
File:Easter-egg-3195.jpg|An Easter egg decorated with the [[Easter Bunny]]
</gallery>

Manufacturing their first Easter egg in 1875, British chocolate company [[Cadbury]] sponsors the annual [[egg hunt]] which takes place in over 250 [[National Trust]] locations in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amazing archive images show how Cadbury cracked Easter egg market |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/easter-2015-amazing-archive-images-8963621 |access-date=21 May 2019 |work=Birmingham Mail |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809002239/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/easter-2015-amazing-archive-images-8963621 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/cadbury-national-trust-church-england-airbrush-faith-easter-egg-hunt-remove-christianity-holiday-a7665436.html|title=Cadbury and National Trust accused of 'airbrushing faith' by Church of England for dropping 'Easter' from egg hunt|website=[[Independent.co.uk]]|agency=The Independent|date=4 April 2017|access-date=21 May 2019|archive-date=2 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702052007/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/cadbury-national-trust-church-england-airbrush-faith-easter-egg-hunt-remove-christianity-holiday-a7665436.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual [[Easter egg roll]] on the [[White House]] lawn for young children.<ref>{{cite web|title=Easter Egg Roll|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/eastereggroll|access-date=10 April 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120193618/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/eastereggroll/|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|archive-date=20 January 2021}}</ref>

===== Easter Bunny =====
{{Main|Easter Bunny}}

In some traditions, the children put out their empty baskets for the Easter Bunny to fill while they sleep. They wake to find their baskets filled with candy eggs and other treats.<ref name="Anderson2017">{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Emma |title=Easter in Germany: The very deutsch origins of the Easter Bunny |url=https://www.thelocal.de/20170410/made-in-germany-the-very-deutsch-origins-of-the-easter-bunny/ |access-date=4 April 2021 |work=The Local Germany |date=10 April 2017 |archive-date=23 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123035016/https://www.thelocal.de/20170410/made-in-germany-the-very-deutsch-origins-of-the-easter-bunny/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Sifferlin2015">{{cite news |last=Sifferlin |first=Alexandra |title=What's the Origin of the Easter Bunny? |url=https://time.com/3767518/easter-bunny-origins-history |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=4 April 2021 |date=21 February 2020 |orig-year=2015 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022112913/https://time.com/3767518/easter-bunny-origins-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A custom originating in Germany,<ref name="Anderson2017" /> the Easter Bunny is a popular legendary [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] Easter gift-giving character analogous to [[Santa Claus]] in American culture. Many children around the world follow the tradition of [[Easter egg|coloring hard-boiled eggs]] and giving baskets of candy.<ref name="Sifferlin2015" /> Historically, foxes, cranes and storks were also sometimes named as the mystical creatures.<ref name="Anderson2017" /> Since the [[Rabbits in Australia|rabbit is a pest]] in Australia, the [[Easter Bilby]] is available as an alternative.<ref>{{cite news |last=Conroy |first=Gemma |title=10 Reasons Australians Should Celebrate Bilbies, not Bunnies, This Easter |url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/04/10-reasons-australians-should-celebrate-bilbies-not-bunnies-this-easter/ |access-date=4 April 2021 |work=Australian Geographic |date=13 April 2017 |archive-date=18 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718202300/https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/04/10-reasons-australians-should-celebrate-bilbies-not-bunnies-this-easter/ |url-status=live }}</ref>