Eggs are a hot-button issue in the United States recently. With prices rising nationwide and the outbreaks of avian flu forcing chicken farmers to cull their flocks, many consumers have been cutting back on their egg purchases. However, the many egg-related traditions of Easter — dying eggs, Easter egg hunts, egg rolling, and more — will still be going strong through the holiday weekend. (It helps that if real eggs aren’t available, plastic toy eggs, usually filled with candy or other treats, will often work as a substitute!)
Easter is an annual Christian holiday celebrating the most important aspect of the religion’s central figure: the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his execution. In various pagan traditions, eggs laid in the springtime symbolize new life and rebirth, and early Christians celebrating the resurrection adopted the egg as well, as a symbol of Jesus leaving his sealed tomb like a chick breaking out of its shell.
Dying Easter eggs in bright colors and fun patterns is a related custom that dates back centuries. In the Orthodox Church, eating eggs is banned during Lent, the forty days of abstinence that come before Easter. As such, eggs were a celebratory food for the holiday, and were traditionally painted red to symbolize the blood of Jesus. These days, though, families and friends can have fun dying and painting their eggs however they like!
Large-scale Easter egg hunts are held for children and families in many parks, libraries, and other public places during Easter time. Check out your area to find events near you. Easter is not a federal holiday, but it does take place on a Sunday and is a major religious holiday, so government buildings and banks will be closed and many businesses will be closed or operating on limited hours as well. Easter is often a busy day for restaurants as well, so get your reservations in early.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us anytime at info@gravityintprog.com. Stay safe and healthy, and Happy Easter!
