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Decorative
Eggs
Thus, they were reintroduced into the diets of devout Christians
during the traditional Easter meal, for which occasion they were painted
to express the cheer and delight identified with the holiday. Two of the
most recognized Easter symbols are rabbits or hares and eggs, both of
which are symbols of fertility, rebirth, and the continuity of life.
Painting eggs may have originally come from the spring festival
practices of Egyptians and Persians. The custom continues to be very
popular, especially in Europe, where painted eggs are given to friends,
family, and kids as gifts symbolic of life, and among children as an
amusing activity with which to celebrate Easter. In the United States,
the belief that the Easter bunny actually lays eggs laid the foundation
for the Easter egg hunt, in which eggs are hidden around the yard or
garden for children to discover. Egg rolling contests, such as the
annual one held on the White House lawn, are also
customary.
Why Do We Give Easter Eggs?
The Easter egg is venerable indeed. While the gaily colored cardboard
ones and rich chocolate ones that we enjoy are quite recent in origin,
the real egg, decorated with colors or gilt, has been acknowledged as a
symbol of continuing life and resurrection since pre-Christian spring
celebrations. Given as gifts by the ancient Greeks, Persians, and
Chinese at their spring festivals, the egg also appears in pagan
mythology, where we read of the Sun-Bird being hatched from the World
Egg. in some pagan customs, the Heaven and Earth were thought to have
been formed from two halves of an egg. As the egg was an obvious symbol
to early Christians of Jesus' Resurrection, it was felt to be a most
appropriate and holy part of the Eastertide celebration. Even as early
as the Middle Ages, eggs were colored to be given as gifts at Easter;
Edward I's accounts for 1290 include the expense of purchasing hundreds
of eggs to be distributed to his household. in the 17th century, pope
Paul V blessed the humble egg in a prayer to be used in England,
Scotland, and Ireland: "Bless, O Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy
creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance to Thy
faithful servants, eating in thankfulness to Thee, on account of the
Resurrection of Our Lord." Forbidden during the solemn fast of Lent,
eggs were reintroduced on Easter Sunday, both as part of the feasting
and as gifts for family, friends, and servants.
Anonymous (1913)
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