9 Easter Traditions From Around Europe
Celebrating Easter every year is a joyful moment. But you can add a unique touch to it. To grab inspiration, gather how different places in Europe have unique Easter traditions. We understand it’s hard to accept different traditions, but that’s the fun. We know western traditions – decorating Easter Eggs & tracking Easter Bunny. But each European country celebrates Easter uniquely. In history, you’ll find that Easter involves religious rituals & fun activities. Now, Easter has become commercialised, but locals are bound with culture. So, it’s always better to connect with different cultures & people, to learn about unique Holy Week celebrations. So, here we’ve listed fascinating Easter traditions from around Europe.
Firework Display, Italy
Florence is the city in Italy where locals celebrate Scoppio del Carro. It is a 350-year-old Easter tradition known as the ‘explosion of cart’. All the people wear 15th-century costumes. They pack an ornate cart with fireworks and bring it to Duomo through city roads. Then the religious organisation called ‘Archbishop of Florence’ lights a fuse. It leads to cart & sparks fireworks.
Dress Like Witches, Finland
In Finland, all the young girls wear Easter witches costumes which you can find at Escapade. The dress code includes colourful clothes & freckles on cheeks. These little girls decorate willow twigs with feathers & crepe papers. Then, visit door-to-door on Palm Sunday in Eastern & Holy Saturday in Western Finland. The tradition is for pushing out the evil spirits. And on this happy occasion, kids receive chocolate eggs.
Death Dance, Spain
On Holy Thursday in Verges, Spain, also known as a mediaeval town, people perform “dansa de la mort”. You can think of it as a death dance. First, people wear skeleton costumes and perform parades in the city. These skeletons carry boxes that contain ashes. The entire parade looks very scary. Then these skeletons perform a macabre dance for 3 hours from midnight. Book flights, hotel & cabs to Spain using British Airways and enjoy this unique Easter tradition live.
Eating Big Omelette, France
On Easter Monday, Southern French people never forget their forks. Why? Because in the town’s main square, people receive giant omelettes.
This giant omelette is prepared with 15,000+ eggs and can feed 1,000 people. In history, Napoleon Bonaparte & his army also ate omelette while travelling through southern France. Then he asked people to gather their eggs & make a giant omelette for his army.
Pouring Water, Poland
In Poland, people pour water on everyone during Easter. This Easter tradition is known as “Śmigus-dyngus” or Wet Monday. Easter Monday in Poland is celebrated by drenching another person with water baskets or squirting guns. People believe girls who get soaked on this day will become married in the same year.
Sprinkling Perfume, Hungary
In Hungary, locals perform the “sprinkling” traditions on Easter Monday. They referred to it as “Ducking Monday”. Boys sprinkle perfume or water on girls (although with permission). The original tradition was to put a water bucket on women’s heads but now changed to spray perfume and ask for a kiss. The reason is that water cleans, heals, and develops a fertility-inducing effect. You can order quality perfumes, with a free UK delivery offer from Perfume Shopping to have fun with your loved ones.
Willow Branch Whipping, Czech Republic
This is a unique tradition for Easter, but the Czech Republic men decorate willow branches with ribbons. Then, on Easter Monday, they gently whip girls and wish them good health & luck. Some women don’t like this whipping tradition, but some take it as an important culture.
Reading Crime Fiction, Norway
In Norway, Easter comes at the time when everyone wants to be cosy in the cabin & interested in reading crime novels or watching crime shows. In 1923, a book publisher promoted its crime novel on the first page of the newspaper. The promotion looked like news, and people didn’t understand it was just a publicity stunt, so it got massive attention. This is how the tradition started. And people also want to relax during Easter, so this tradition helps them. Magazine.co.uk offers a huge discount on functional & crime magazines, order it now!
Joining Religious Procession, Rome
In Rome Easter is celebrated in a religious way, on the occasion of Good Friday, the pop remembers the entire event from Colosseum to the Cross. All the locals keep candles in hand & walk around the amphitheatre & go to Palatine Hill. They take 14 stops in-between to represent Stations of Cross. The celebration happens on Holy Saturday & Easter Sunday. Most people gather at St. Peter’s Square & wait for the Pope’s blessing. Finally, the Pope comes to the church’s balcony and gives blessings to everyone, known as Urbi et Orbi which means ‘To the city & world’.
These are the nine different and most unique Easter traditions around Europe. Either you can visit these places and enjoy the live Easter fun or mimic the celebration at your home.
