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EASTER CUSTOMS

 

There’s some extraordinary Easter customs practised around the world, including men spanking women( all in good fun, actually);drenching ladies in water( perfectly legal, believe it or not);people throwing pots out of windows onto the streets below; children making effigies of Judas and burning them on large bonfires; children dressing as witches(you’d wonder what they do come Halloween); sprinkling perfumed water on females(whatever works, I suppose); citizens solving murders; replacing chocolate bunnies with chocolate rodents, and making a giant omelette to feed a thousand people. And I thought we were weird stuffing our faces with chocolate eggs.

POLAND

According to my Polish barber, Polish Easter traditions dictate that women do not engage in housework on Easter Sunday, including cooking. Easter Monday is a different story, however. They’ve a tradition called Smigus Dyngus whereby men drench women with water. Buckets or basins are all legitimate vessels for the soaking process, apparently. In fact, the wetter the recipient gets the better chance she has for getting married. Must remember to pack my water pistol if I ever visit (don’t tell the missus).

NORWAY

Norway’s Easter begins on a Wednesday and ends on the following Tuesday, and the citizens use the long break to solve crimes. This curious custom began in 1923, when Easter-Thrillers books(known as Påskekrimmen in Norway) became all the rage.  In Norwegian, Påske means Easter and Krimmen means Crime. Crime stories, illustrated by cartoons, appear on milk cartons during this period, so most Norwegians enjoy the reading and detecting buzz. Intriguing.

DUBLIN, IRELAND

Wolfing down chocolate eggs, egg hunts and Easter parades is my childhood memory of Easter traditions in Dublin, and these customs still survive in our capital city. For instance, Cadburys are hosting an Easter Egg Trail in support of Barnados on Saturday 19th April, in Merrion Square Park (a great cause); there’s an Easter Egg-stravaganza in Dublin Zoo on Sunday 20th April; On Easter Sunday, an Easter Rising Commemoration Parade, which includesArmy, Navy, Aer Corps, UN Veterans, and Gardai, will parade from Dublin Castle to Parnell Square. Super stuff.

SWEDEN

Egg painting and kitting out in witches’ attire are Swedish Easter customs. Children don witches’ clothing, paint their faces and go door to door in pursuit of treats(remind you of anything?). During Easter, a Swedish fable states, witches fly to"Blåkulla" (Blue Mountain) to meet the devil. Creepy.

GERMANY

Massive bonfires, fuelled with old Christmas trees, are a German Easter custom. Derived from a pagan ceremony tradition, these fires are lit on Easter Saturday. Good craic with the blazing infernos, but it could get messy if you bring your chocolate eggs along.

CORFU

Corfiots begin their Pot Throwing (tossing pots from balconies down to street) on Holy Saturday morning. Similar to the Greek tradition of smashing plates, this custom of Pot Throwing also marks the First Resurrection. Furthermore, a Corfu Easter is a huge celebration involving bands and singing among the locals and their many visitors. Sounds like a smashing time is had by one and all.

CRETE

The fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the largest island in Greece, Crete is one of the many places around the world that burns an effigy of Judas at Easter time. Crete women donate old clothes to deck out the hay-stuffed “Dirty Judas”, men will make a large gully for the burning, and Crete children will create an effigy and prepare the giant bonfire. Although similar to the British Guy Fawkes Day, it’s no doubt great craic.

CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA

Using special sticks made from willow rods, Czech and Slovak men spank women on their bottoms during this Easter Monday tradition. I’m assured by my Polish friend that all these various Eastern European traditions are playful fun, and carried out in a good-spirited manner without harm or offence to anybody. According to folklore, the willow rods (called pomlazka in the Czech language) have a magical quality that brings fertility to women. “All in the best possible taste”, of course, as the late Kenny Everett used to say.

HUNGARY

Another Eastern European custom is called ‘Sprinkling’, and carried out on Easter Monday or ‘Ducking Monday’ as it became popularly known. Young men spray water, perfumed water or just perfume on young ladies. Old beliefs maintain that water has fertility qualities. No wonder they’re charging us for water now in Ireland.

AUSTRALIA

In preference to the Easter Bunny, the Easter Bilby is a growing tradition in Australia. The bilby, a rodent with long, rabbit-like ears, is in danger of extinction. Rabbits are a scourge to Australian farmers and their crops, and the country has an organization called ‘The Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia’ (poor bunnies). Also, Darrel Lea, the largest, Australian chocolate manufacturer (and bilby breeding sponsor) fills shops with chocolate Easter Bilbies every year. Still, chocolate is chocolate in my world.

HAUX, FRANCE

Some French story-tellers maintain that Napoleon is responsible for the Easter Monday, giant omelet-making tradition in Haux, France. His travelling army used to be fed omelets when passing through villages. So he ordered a giant omelet to be made for his hungry, war-weary troops. Last year in Haux, the townspeople created a colossal omelet 10 feet in diameter, which included ingredients of 5,211 eggs, 21 quarts of oil, and 110 pounds each of bacon, onion, and garlic. Wow! 21 quarts of oil, my cholesterol rose just writing that.

Most of these world-wide Easter customs stem from a combination of folklore, national ethos, story-telling, ancient and pagan rituals, and they all develop their own nuances and cultural aspects over time. Viva la difference, I say, sure it would be a boring world if we all had red hall-doors.

Happy Easter.

Tomas O’hArgadain

 

 

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