Easter Traditions Around The World
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
Easter, which will be observed on April 20, 2025, is the oldest and most important of all Christian festivals. The holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many adults in the US observe it by attending special church services. Some also fast or give up certain foods or habits for 40 days leading up to Easter. For American kids, the holiday centers around egg hunts, parades, and the Easter Bunny. But not all countries follow these traditions. Here are a few unique Easter celebrations from around the world.
Bermuda
In Bermuda, the Friday before Easter is marked by flying kites and eating hot cross buns and codfish cakes. The kite-flying tradition is believed to have been started by a teacher trying to explain the ascension of Jesus Christ to his students. He launched a kite with a likeness of Christ, and a fun custom was born. The hot cross bun tradition was inherited from the British. Codfish cakes became the food of choice to avoid meat during Lent.
Norway
Norwegians spend the week-long Easter holiday reading crime novels and watching murder-mystery shows. To meet demand, publishers release new thrillers, while television channels broadcast crime dramas at Easter. Even dairy companies join in with crime-related cartoons on milk cartons.
This custom began with a 1923 newspaper ad for a crime novel that appeared on the front page a week before Easter. Many readers mistook it for an actual news article. This clever stunt increased sales and prompted publishers to release crime novels around Easter. Television producers soon followed, and a tradition was born.
Greece
On the Saturday before Easter, residents of Corfu, Greece, throw water-filled clay jugs, known as "botides," onto the streets. The tradition, which welcomes spring, is believed to have been inspired by the Italians. In Italy, people toss old dishes out of their windows on New Year's Eve to signify they are ready for a fresh start.
Italy
On Easter Sunday, hundreds of Italians dressed in 15th-century attire escort an antique cart filled with fireworks to the Florence Cathedral. During Easter Mass, the archbishop of Florence lights a fuse, setting off a vibrant fireworks display. This lively tradition dates back over 350 years. It is believed to bring a good harvest in the year ahead.
Happy Easter!
Resources: ABCnews.com, Wanderlust.com, NPR.com
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
31 Comments
dannyboy102 monthsit would be so fun to throw a plate out the window- dannyboy102 monthsWhy are the masks so creepy?
nitunimogiba2 monthsHAPPY EASTER
luffy1142 monthsthe masks are creepy tho- luffy1142 monthsThe Jerusalem one is my favorite bc im Cristian and they walked the path
1_that_one_guy2 monthsHA HA HA This is so funny, tourists must have been very confused
jba-fofi2 monthsI am a christian, and I do love this holiday.
sylerygunano2 monthsI love Easter
annelin2 monthsI want to celebrate Easter, but we don't celebrate it here. Oh, and the rabbit, cuteness overload- cenolubiculo2 monthsI think these are really cool traditions.