Rabbit, basket and eggs: a story of American Easter traditions

In 2 weeks—March 31—Easter will be celebrated in the United States. The stores are now full of cute baskets, bunnies, sweets and eggs. But why rabbit, chocolate and eggs? Where did these Easter symbols come from?

Photo: depositphotos

The tradition of Easter baskets with chocolates and sweets is associated with Lent, which lasts 40 days until Easter. At this time, many Christians refuse chocolate. The diet symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Historically, when Easter comes to church, gifts are brought in large baskets for blessing by church servants. Chocolate - a kind of reward for those who refused to eat during Lent.

Photo: depositphotos

The tradition with the Easter rabbit, according to historians, is rooted in the memories of Eostro, the pagan goddess of fertility and spring. According to the legend, Eostra found a bird frozen to death and turned it into a rabbit so that the bird warmed up. It so happened that the rabbit continued to lay eggs like a bird. Moreover, he painted these eggs as a token of appreciation to the savior Eostre.

Easter eggs are associated with religious history. According to the Bible, Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after the Resurrection. She held an egg in her hand as a symbol of rebirth and the circle of life when she told people about the miracle. Emperor Tiberius Caesar heard her words and exclaimed: “It would be sooner for this white egg to turn red than for a dead one to rise again!” According to religious history, the egg actually turned bright red at this point.

The Easter egg represents the Holy Sepulcher. It serves as a symbol of the coffin and the emergence of life in it: even if it looks dead, there is new life inside it. The color of the eggs symbolizes the blood of the crucified Christ.

This is why red is considered traditional. The same color is used at Easter and for liturgical vestments.

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