How Do Other Countries Celebrate Easter?

It might seem as though we just finished unwrapping our last Christmas present, and now here we are, mere days before the Easter Weekend. While we may be looking forward to Easter Egg hunts, carving turkey with the family, giving gifts, and celebrating the Risen Lord as the reason for the season, other countries around the world may be doing something different.

How do others around the world celebrate? Do they share the same affinity for those delectable Cadbury cream-filled eggs like we do? Let’s find out!

Hungary

After Good Friday and Easter Sunday have passed, Easter Monday rolls around. And in Hungary, this is the day that Hungarians take part in a popular game, “sprinkling.” It’s in this game where boys playfully sprinkle perfume or cologne on a young lady’s head, then ask for a kiss. It was said that this had a fertility-inducing effect on women. I guess we know what these boys had in mind! And yes, we’re still talking about Easter, not Valentine’s Day!

Brazil

If you know your Bible, then you may have heard of one of Jesus Christ’s disciple’s, Judas. He was the one who betrayed Christ, and to show their disdain for this action, the Brazilians create straw dolls of Judas, hang them in the streets, then beat them! Of course, there are also happier celebrations – it IS Brazil, after all! On Easter Saturday – referred to as ‘Sábado de Aleluia’ – mini versions of Carnaval are celebrated in small towns to celebrate and mark the end of Lent.

Sweden

Much like Hungary twists Easter with another holiday, Sweden does much the same thing – this time with Halloween. In Sweden, children dress up like witches on Easter, wearing garments including long skirts, headscarves, and red painted cheeks. From their homes, they hop from one residence to the next trading in their homemade drawings in exchange for sweet treats.

Indonesia

This may sound surprising, but Indonesia is home to approximately 7 million Catholics, after Christianity was brought here by Portuguese missionaries. At Easter time, statues are carried throughout the streets, and young men play the role of Jesus in honour of their Lord, and even go so far as to be tied to the cross.

Bermuda

The locals in Bermuda celebrate Good Friday by flying kites that they make themselves, while enjoying hot cross buns and codfish. A local Sunday School teacher from the British Army was having some troubles trying to explain the ascension of Christ to Heaven to his students, so he made a kite, and made it rise, symbolizing the Ascension. And that’s where the tradition began!

However way you choose to celebrate Easter, be sure to give the host of Easter dinner a lovely gift basket from CanadasGiftBaskets.ca!