A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day...04-16-03..."Easter Traditions...Then and Now"

DaisyScarlett;Dutchess;Aquamarine

[dutchess]

Easter is not only a holiday but a season unto itself.

To many religious people, it marks a time of miracles and a reaffirming of faith.

To those with a more secular view of the world, it is a celebration of the end of winter, a time to look toward the warmth of the coming summer and a chance to shed the heavy, dour clothing of the winter for the bright colors of spring.

Easter traditions and symbols are well known: the Easter Bunny, Easter eggs and Easter baskets have become hallmarks of this spring festival. Yet there is more to them than meets the eye.

On Friday, dutchess will post a religious Easter thread here on the Finest, but today she has teamed up with Aquamarine and me to present what we have dubbed the "Easter Fun Thread".

We will touch upon both the origins of Easter and Easter traditions. And we also have some Easter music to entertain you as you read along.

So, sit back, grab some jelly beans, post some Easter fun graphics and ENJOY. ~ daisyscarlett

ORIGINS OF EASTER

Though identified in modern times as a Christian Holy Day, Easter, the ancient celebration of spring, has roots far deeper than any one belief or culture. It reminds us that there is always a chance to plant our dreams anew; that the cold of winter will pass; and, that in the course of humankind, you can always plant again.

Long before Easter became the holiday it is today, the spring festival was celebrated by the people around the world. Although associated with the sun and the Vernal Equinox, the celebration was originally based on the lunar calendar. The name Easter is derived from the Saxon Eostre (which is synonymous with the name of the Phoenician Goddess of the Moon, Astarte), a Germanic goddess of spring and the deity who measured time.

Curiously, a Jewish festival, Purim, also celebrated in the spring, has as it central character and heroine, Esther who, as queen, kept the evil Haman from killing her people.

As Christianity grew and spread throughout the world, it was common practice to adopt, modify, convert or take over existing non-Christian festivals, sacred locations and even names, and assimilate them into the Christian theology.

Because Eostre, also know as Ostara, was the goddess of spring and her symbolism dealt with renewal and rebirth, the Christian belief in the resurrection of Christ fit well with these themes.

The connection between Christ's Resurrection and Jewish Passover, which, in addition to the dramatic story of the flight from Egypt, also contains elements of a spring celebration, made the merging of the two religious traditions easily accomplished.

Why does Easter always fall on a Sunday? In 325 AD, the council of Nice issued an edict that read, in pertinent part, "Easter was to fall upon the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the Vernal Equinox; and if said full moon fell on a Sunday, the Easter should be the Sunday after."

The Easter celebration was coordinated with older, pre-Christian celebrations of spring. The direct relationship to Sunday as the day sacred to the Sun, the ultimate symbol of life, is obvious; yet the subtle connections to the earlier celebrations of the time of planting and the Moon are of equal importance in determining the day of the Easter celebration.

I would like to invite everyone to sit back and enjoy some Easter music, or maybe even put on your Easter Bonnet and prance around the room. Just click on the titles to hear the tunes. ~ Aquamarine

The Easter Song



Easter Parade

Easter Traditions Old and New

Many of our Easter traditions date back to ancient times. Lambs, chicks and baby creatures of all kinds are all associated with spring, symbolizing the birth of new life. Here are just a few of how these traditions were started.

The Easter Egg

One of the best-known Easter symbols is the egg, which has symbolized renewed life since ancient days. The egg is said to be a symbol of llife because in all living creatures life begins in the egg. The Persians and Egyptians also colored eggs and ate them during their new year's celebration, which came in the spring.

A Polish folktale tells of the Virgin Mary giving eggs to soldiers at the cross while she pleaded with them to be merciful. As her tears dropped they spattered droplets on the eggs mottling them with a myriad of colors.

Today many people still color Easter eggs and decorate them with fancy patterns and symbols. The sun symbolized good fortune, the rooster, fulfillment of wishes; the deer, good health, the flowers, love and charity.

It has become a modern custom to decorate the eggs and hide them for children to find during Easter. The birth of the Easter Egg Hunt. Other egg-related games also evolved like egg tossing and egg rolling.

The Whitehouse Egg Roll

Easter festivities don't end on Easter Sunday - at least not in Washington DC, that is. Since 1878, the annual White House Egg Roll occurs on the Monday after Easter, canceled in the past only by bad weather and a couple World Wars. Actually, the annual egg roll (the act of rolling a hard cooked egg across the lawn) began as early as the mid-1870's; it was held first on Capitol Hill - until our Congress banned it. It seems the popular event did much damage to the Capitol lawn, and our distinguished leaders had no room in their budgets for repairing the landscaping.

In 1878, the first year the ban was enforced (it took effect in 1877 but it rained that year), then President Rutherford B. Hayes was approached by young lads and lasses about rolling eggs on the South Lawn of the White House. Being a shrewd politician, he smilingly agreed and, with his wife Lucy at his side, cheerfully greeted the crowds who had been turned away at the Capitol. The White House lawn became their new egg rolling site, officially sanctioned by the President himself. Today, this public event continues with additional egg games, an appearance by the official White House Easter Bunny, and all participants receive a wooden egg, with signatures of the President and First Lady.

The Easter Bunny: Beloved Easter Symbol

Of all the symbols of Easter, none is more beloved than the Easter Bunny. And, of all the symbols of this season, none has a more varied, unique and universal background than this floppy-eared chocolate confection deliveryman.

The Advent of the Easter Bunny

The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season. The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. These were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs. The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.

The Easter Basket

The Easter Basket shows roots in Catholic custom. Baskets filled with breads, cheeses, hams and other foods for Easter dinner were taken to mass Easter morning to be blessed. This evolved in time to baskets filled with chocolate eggs, jelly beans, toys and stuffed bunnies for children left behind by the Easter Bunny.

The Easter Parade, Bonnets and Finest Clothing

In the early days of the church, the newly baptized wore white robes for the baptismal ceremony and during Easter week. Others wore new clothes at Easter to represent their participation in Christ's new life. After Easter mass, medieval worshippers, dressed in their new clothes, formed a procession through the streets, lead by a crucifix. Later, the custom of walking to or from church on Easter Sunday, bedecked in new clothes and Easter bonnets, evolved into the Easter parade. Begun in 1860, New Jersey's Atlantic City Easter Parade featured finely clothed citizens strolling along the boardwalk, and New York City soon sported its now famous Fifth Avenue Easter Parade. Similar parades sprung up across the country, many with prizes for best dress and bonnets, and the frillier the bonnet, the better. Few Easter parades still exist in modern times, and the Easter bonnet is largely a fashion relic of the past.

The Easter Lily

White and pure, the lily was the medieval symbol of purity and the Virgin Mary. Blooming in spring and being so pristine, the lily became the flowering representation of Easter and the resurrection of Christ. Earlier Greek mythology, though, relates the lily as milk which fell to the earth from Juno, queen of the Greek gods, as she nursed her son Hercules; the Milky Way galaxy was believed to be the milk that spilled but did not fall to earth.

Pussy Willows

Eastern Europeans follow the tradition of placing olive branches at Easter ceremonies, but with a slight twist: they use readily available willow branches instead of the impossible to find olive branches. Willows are the first flower to bloom in the spring, and as such represent rebirth. As an ancient symbol that spring had finally arrived, it was viewed as good luck to be tapped on the shoulder by a branch of these soft blooms by a neighbor or loved one. ~ Dutchess

Here's a Pussy Willow tap on the shoulder to all our FR Friends. May you have a happy and blessed week.

Easter is a special time to renew our faith, but it is also a time to bond with family and share those rich traditions that we can pass on from generation to generation. In today's busy world we sometimes lose sight of the family traditions.We hope that this will spark a glow and help you enter this week with a smile on your face.

~~~~~Aquamarine, daisyscarlett and dutchess~~~~~~~

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-14-03 ViligantCitizen 04-15-03 Hobsonphile

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[FreeTheHostages]

That is SO COOL!! Great duckie.

[Aquamarine]

Sweet memories!

Cute duck giving the bear a ride on it's back.

[FreeTheHostages]

Wow, you've just given me a great idea on how to decorate my Easter eggs.

[FreeTheHostages]

Me first! Me first!!

[Mama_Bear]

Wow, Australia!! That sounds great!!

LOL. Yes.....I have always wanted to visit Australia but, now that we are going I wish we had more time. A week isn't long enough to see much. Sort of like coming to America for a week, you only get to see where you happen to land. But, I am thankful for the week we can spend there.

Easter Lilies for you. :-)

[dutchess]

Awe...Lori...you're bunny babies are so cute...

No we aren't going to the international...Our club is very involved in supporting an orphanage in Romania and actually helped get a club started there so most of our club resources (financial and personal time) are focused on that.

We actually brought a young girl (early 20's) who was going blind to have specialized surgery which Ohio State University did for free. A lot of clubs have jumped on the bandwagon and have contributed funds and with matching foundation dollars we've been able to raise $40,000 for the orphanage. Not bad for a club of around 70 people!

That being said I am VERY jealous...It's been a dream of ours to go to Australia!

[Aquamarine]

Sorry Free...but I'm sure Billie will want to go first.

[Mama_Bear]

I *LOVE* the bunny bear!!

Thank you, dansy.

Easter hugs for one of my favorite couples.

(((((((((dansy & .45MAN))))))))))

[FreeTheHostages]

[FreeTheHostages]

OK. :) But when it comes to my chapter, I'm going to have pictures and pop-out art and all kinds of special features.

[dutchess]

Hi jw. Beautiful picture you posted today...and always...beautiful words!

[dutchess]

Goodafternoon lavaroise...Thanks for stopping by and sharing today.

[dutchess]

Diotima. Glad you liked the thread. We had fun doing it and great news the Freeperthon went over the top! We're safe for another quarter LOL!

[Diver Dave]

...A week isn't long enough to see much...

I can picture it now... You and JK stepping off the plane with a koala bear and talking funny. :)

psst. don't turn your glass upside-down in a bar - especially if there are Aussie sailors around.

[dutchess]

Hi Dave...I look forward to seeing what you put on the post on Friday...I know it will be a nice addition.

[dutchess]

Hi Julie...we'll be doing our religious thread about the real meaning of Easter on Friday. Hope you will stop by and contribute.

[dansangel]

Now, as for what's-her-name-free......those half-sistahs ...tch, tch ... they just like to stir. LOL!

That's the truth...*now* she's ignoring me in favor of The Thin Man.

Hmmmph! Fickle!

[dansangel]

He is risen! Hallelujah!

I hope my Favorite Florida FReeper has a glorious Easter!

((((((((JULIE))))))))))

[The Thin Man]

I plan to dedicate a whole chapter of my book on you Mr. Thin Man.
I'm sure all the hostesses will have some dirt on you that needs to be aired. :)

Surely, it's illegal to defame a non-public figure such as me in an untruthful, scandalous, tell-all book.

Need confirmation from our resident lawyerette. :)

[JulieRNR21]

Hi Julie...we'll be doing our religious thread about the real meaning of Easter on Friday. Hope you will stop by and contribute.

Thanks dutchess....I'll try to stop by.