Easter Traditions Around The World

Easter is upon us, and this time of year is always a reminder that Easter traditions are really kind of bizarre! Children await a bunny that will hide painted eggs and bring candy in the middle of the night. So, out of sheer curiosity, we did a little digging into the Easter traditions of the rest of world as well.

Below are the spring and Easter traditions of 3 other countries and you may be surprised at how differently we all celebrate the same holiday:

• BRAZIL – On Shrove Tuesday, the Tuesday before Easter Sunday, people flock to the streets of Brazil for elaborate parades! There is singing, dancing, marching and large costumes made of wire. The costumes are very big, making the wearers look like huge butterflies and birds, both signs of spring. Floats are built with stages on top so people can sing and dance as the parade goes on. Many times the crowds will join in on the singing and dancing in the street until the whole thing ends in a giant party!
• GREECE –On Easter Saturday evening, just before midnight, a service is held in the Greek Orthodox Church. Candles are given to churchgoers and are lit right at midnight. Those who do not attend church will set off fireworks at exactly midnight as a sign that Easter has begun! The traditional Easter breakfast in Greece consists of a soup made of lamb stomach! A traditional Easter cake is made of oranges and almonds.
• SPAIN – Spain doesn’t only celebrate Easter Sunday, they celebrate the entire week leading up to it as well, known as Holy Week. The week consists of church services, parades and even a “Dance of Death” celebration where citizens dress up as skeletons and dance through the streets. Many of the parades have floats that tell the Easter story on them. These floats are carried around on the shoulders of the men! There’s even one float depicting the last supper. Real food is placed on the table and the actors atop the float will eat as they’re carried around the streets.

No matter how you choose to celebrate the Easter holiday, we hope you stay happy, healthy, and don’t eat too much Easter candy! To schedule a dental appointment for the whole family, please contact Auburn Family Dental, located in Wichita, KS!