Happy Easter Everyone!!
For I remember it is Easter Morn and life and love and peace are all new born!
Alice Freeman Palmer
Easter this year coincides with Pesach for my Jewish friends and falls almost in the middle of the Holy Month of Ramadan, observed by my Muslim friends so, if wasn’t for testing positive for Covid last Monday I already would have broken the fast with lovely friends Rizwana and Amir and last night I should have been sitting down to first night Seder with my equally lovely friends Rachael and Raffi and their family, instead, I’m sitting at home looking out at the beautiful sunshine feeling sorry for myself!
So, today I thought I’d look at some cool, maybe slightly quirky ways of marking the Easter holidays around the world!
New York – Fashion n’ Festivals
While Easter Monday is not officially celebrated in America, New York’s Easter traditions are definitely unique. In the mid-1800s ladies from the New York aristocracy would flaunt their Easter finery after church. Over time this has developed into the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival of 5th Avenue. In a fashion ‘ball’ type event, fashionistas must prepare looks for one or more of their five categories: Matching masks and hats, Eco-Chic, The Fashionista, Glam Pet and Easter Best. These looks are paraded through the fashion district of Fifth Avenue and judged by an elite panel of judges.
Even if you’re not in New York this year, you can still enjoy all of the best looks and artistry through their Instagram hashtag #EasterOnFifth.
Czechia – “whipped” on Easter!
Due to the suppression of religion under the communist regime from 1948-1989, the Czech Republic now sees Easter as a celebration of spring and the beginning of new life, with the religious connotations taking a back seat. Pomlázka, is a popular tradition that despite taking place on Easter Monday, has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The odd, 800-year-old, Czech tradition of Pomlázka (meaning “whip” in English) consists of young boys knocking on the doors of houses where young girls live. When the girl answers the door, the boys take braided sticks of willow branches and (gently!) hit the girl on the back of the legs or douse her in water whilst reciting a traditional Easter carol asking for an egg or two. This was meant to bring good luck and fertility to the girl, as well as chase away illness and bad spirits. Bonkers!
Italy – Carnivals and Colomba Cake!
Easter is a monumental celebration across Italy. With the Vatican only down the road from central Rome, it is no surprise the country has incredible traditions. During Lent, Italy celebrates its Carnevale season with parades and festivities. Head to Venice to experience the magic of Martedi Grasso! A city-wide event with masquerade parties and music.
In Rome, locals flock to see the Pope during Via Cucis. In a dramatic city-wide event, a lit cross is carried through the city. Whilst shops and restaurants may close over the weekend, it’s a great time to experience Easter in Rome as the locals do. On Easter Monday at La Pasquetta you can find families and friends having picnics and just generally relaxing on this holiday. So why not embrace tradition with a picnic at Borghese Gardens.
And of course, try traditional Easter cake the Colomba. This dove-shaped, sugar-speckled cake is consumed by families every year. The ‘dove’ represents hope, renewal and peace. Definitely one of Italy’s sweetest traditions.
Poland – April ‘Showers’ on Easter!
In Poland, Easter is celebrated traditionally, with church and chocolate at the forefront of the festivities. However, there is a rather bizarre Polish ritual that takes place on Easter Monday, referred to as Smigus Dyngus. Translating to Wet Monday, this day is similar to Czech celebrations as it also holds the tradition whereby people throw buckets of water over each other. Whilst this funny activity’s origins are most likely linked to a fertility ritual in Pagan mythology, today Smigus Dyngus is an Easter highlight of children, teens and spouses who just want a water fight! Really brings a new meaning to April shower!!
Australia – Easter Bilby, not Bunny!
Compared to Northern Hemisphere countries, the celebration of Easter in Australia marks the beginning of the autumn season as opposed to spring. Unlike other nations where the Easter Bunny is admired and respected, Australians see rabbits as being pests for wrecking produce and land. This prompted Rabbit-Free Australia, 20 years ago, to ditch the Easter Bunny for the Easter Bilby, known as a rabbit-eared bandicoot. For this reason, Easter Bilby chocolates have been produced on a national scale, where proceeds have gone to help the endangered species. The greater bilby, which once occupied 70% of Australia, only has 600-700 of the animals left globally.
Greece – ‘Cracking’ Easter Epitaph!
Easter is BIG in Greece! Most of the celebrations are largely based on religion and on Greek people’s love for food!
On Good Friday’s night, Epitaph processions take place all around the country. Carried on the shoulders of men, believers follow the Epitaph around the area of each church holding a lit candle. This event becomes a great communal experience that becomes even bigger when, in many places, two or more groups of “followers” meet during their processions!
Sunday is the official day of Christ’s Resurrection, so on Saturday night, people gather in and around their neighbourhood’s church with their candles before midnight to get the Holy Light. At 12 o’clock, the priest is heard through the speakers saying “Christos Anesti”, meaning “Christ has resurrected” and people celebrate all together the happening.
On this night, after the Resurrectioν and after 40 days of abstaining from animal foods, every household enjoys the traditional “mageiritsa” soup and cracks the red eggs they have painted on Holy Thursday. This egg cracking is a fun contest among friends and families, so everyone is strategically choosing the egg they think is the strongest in order to win!
On Sunday, friends and families meet once again for big barbeque feasts where skewered lamb is stars supreme!
Dublin – Easter Significance and Strange Rituals!
I had to include Ireland right!? – Dublin is full of local Easter tradition, making it a very authentic and enjoyable place to spend your Easter Sunday. Although most administrative offices in the city are closed in a sign of respect to this historical day, lots of restaurants and pubs stay open to the public. Deep-rooted in Christianity, but also Ireland’s political past, Easter celebration is a historical landmark for our nation. For example, until 2018 there was a nationwide ban on the purchase of alcohol on Good Friday due to the Easter Rising of 1916. Now, with a rise in secularism, the rules have begun to loosen.
In terms of how they celebrate, Easter Sunday in Ireland is similar to the United Kingdom. Most Irish citizens participate in a traditional lamb roast dinner, as well as Easter egg hunts. However, what sets Dublin, and Ireland in general, apart is their commitment to smaller long-standing traditions, such as a “Herring Procession”. During this, butchers perform a sort of mock funeral for a herring in order to symbolise the end of lent. Another fun tradition is aptly named “the cake dance”. As the title suggests this is where people participate in a dance in order to win a cake, there’s usually a wee drop of alcohol in the mix and usually fun and frivolity ensues!!
What’s on this Week?
Head & Eyes – LeLUTKA EvoX AVALON 3.0
Hair – DOUX - Dara Hairstyle [XS]
Face Skin – DeeTaleZ Skin *Amanda* for LELEVOX /nobrows/ Velour-CHANTI
Nails – Ascendant - Riley Nails Fatpack - Maitreya
AO – BodyLanguage SLC BENTO AO Mate @ this round of Uber
Shape – DeeTaleZ Shape for Lelu EvoX AVALON / Skins "Alexa & Amanda" Cu - Tweaked!
Necklace & Earrings – (Yummy) Chloe Set @ this round of Collabor88
Wedding Ring – ~~ Ysoral ~~ .:Luxe Wedding Ring Malie:. (Maitreya)
Rings & Hand Chain – (Yummy) Celebration Ring Collection [Lara]
Jacket & Trousers – Salt & Pepper Stacy (Lara) sand @ this round of Equal10
Shoes – Eudora3D Faye (Maitreya)
Pictures Taken at the beautifully authentic Asian Mist