Here's How People Around The World Normally Celebrate Easter

The butter lamb is just too cute. Presented by Schwartz.

This year we should all be staying home during the Easter holidays in order to help fight the spread of COVID-19, but while we do that: here are some Easter traditions from around the world that usually help people celebrate.

1. In Sweden, children usually dress up as witches and go door to door on the hunt for tasty treats.

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The witches – or påskkärringar – wear rosy cheeks and big skirts, and wish residents happy Easter in return of sweets.

This fun tradition dates back to the 19th century and comes from the Swedish folklore that Maundy Thursday (Skärtorsdagen) was the day when witches would travel to the island of Blåkulla and dance with the devil.

2. On Easter Sunday, an antique cart is paraded through the streets of Florence, Italy in an elaborate 20-minute firework display.

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Scoppio del carro (which means the explosion of the cart) dates back to the First Crusade, and people travel from all over the world to see the colourful show.

3. A giant 15,000 egg omelette is usually cooked in front of a huge crowd in Bessieres, France.

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A group called the Brother of the Giant Omelette typically give portions of the meal to the people that attend the festival. It first started in the 1970s, but the tradition was inspired by a story of Napoleon Bonaparte asking for a giant omelette to be made for his troops while on a visit to Bessieres.

4. In Australia, children are given chocolate bilbies – an endangered marsupial – as an alternative to chocolate bunnies.

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The adorable rabbit-like bilby became an Easter icon after a schoolgirl's story – Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby – helped get the public's attention about raising awareness to save bilbies.

5. In Bermuda, people usually fly beautiful geometrically designed kites on the beach on Good Friday.

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They can take months to make, and although it's not known exactly when it started, the tradition is said to have come from a creative Sunday school teacher using kites to tell kids about the resurrection story.

6. In Corfu, Greece, Orthodox Easter festivities are typically marked by throwing large clay pots from balconies

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Thousands of people gather to watch the pot smashing, which is believed to have originated from a 14th-century Venetian tradition which involved throwing out old possessions to mark the new year.

7. In Hungary, young boys would spend Easter Sunday sprinkling locals girls with water, but nowadays, perfume has typically replaced the buckets of water.

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The sprinkling tradition – locsolkodás – is done in good spirits, and is thought to have originated from Pagan cleansing and fertility customs.

8. In Washington DC, USA, the president and the first lady normally host an annual Easter Egg Roll, which involves kids racing eggs using a giant wooden spoon.

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The Easter Monday tradition is said to have been started at by Dolley Madison, who hosted an event at the Capitol in 1817.

Despite being briefly banned after a lawn was ruined, the egg rolling event has been held at the White House almost every year since 1878, with a few exceptions.

9. In Russia, a little lamb-shaped sculpture made from butter is often seen at the Easter spread.

Flickr: looseid

The symbol of the lamb has its roots in Catholic teachings, and the sculpture – hand-carved or made from moulds – often have peppercorns for eyes.

10. Morris dances – performed by groups wearing bells and sticks – usually take place in parts of England.

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The English folk dance – traditionally performed by men – dates back to the 15th century, and has been part of Springtime festivals for over 400 years.

11. In the Holy Week procession in Verges, Spain, performers dress up in skeletal attire and perform a Dance of Death.

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La Dansa de la Mort , or Dances of Death date back to the middle ages, and were originally performed to unite people and remind them how fragile life is.

12. In Germany, trees and bushes have intricately decorated mouth-blown eggs hung from their branches.

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While the exact origins of this tradition – known as ostereierbaum – have been lost, it dates back centuries. One of Germany's most famous egg trees is Volker Kraft's apple tree in Saalfeld, which has over 10,000 eggs hanging on it.

What's your favourite Easter tradition? Let us know in the comments!