9-4-2020-Easter is a time of celebration, of hope celebrated in several countries of the world with sprinkles of the culture of each place, giving it unique particularities. StudentVille leaves you here some of the most curious and unique traditions of the world.

Easter is here and if there is a time of Christian celebration, of hope that unites the people is this one!

We decided to go around the world and bring you some peculiar traditions starting, of course, with Portugal where Easter is celebrated in a very religious way. The period that reminds us of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ counts with religious processions and theatrical performances all over the country.

Then, we take you to our neighbouring country, Spain, which also celebrates Easter with religious processions, with the prayer of the Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis), etc.  For example, in Madrid there is the tamborrada on Easter Sunday, as several people "invade" the Plaza Mayor playing drums to announce the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In France, in Bessières (Haute Garonne) and in Mazeres (Ariège), since 1973, every Easter, the Brotherhood of the Giant Omelette gathers and make an omelette with 15,000 eggs!

Arriving in Germany, Easter represents the celebration of the ascension of Christ and the arrival of spring. The tradition is to decorate trees with brightly coloured eggs. The eggs are pierced, emptied and painted with bright colours and adorned with crepe paper. Charming!

In Scotland, they have fun playing with boiled and coloured eggs.  They roll the eggs down the hill and the winning egg is the one that can roll the furthest without cracking.

 

Further south in Greece, chocolate eggs have been exchanged for hen eggs painted red. According to tradition, the egg symbolizes life and the colour red, the blood of Jesus. The eggs are distributed amongst guests to make a game. A guest lays his egg against his companion's egg until it cracks. According to the legend, whoever has the last egg to crack "will be lucky during the following year”.

 

In Finland, northern Europe, Easter is celebrated in a similar way to what we usually see on Halloween - children go out on the streets in costumes and beg for treats.

In Guatemala, Easter celebrations reveal very cultural traits, with cheerful traditional costumes, masks and coloured flower carpets on which people walk to church. The streets of the cities are also covered with incense and celebrate ancient rituals.

 

We finish in India, where Hindus hold the Holi festival to remember the emergence of the god Krishna. People dance, play flutes and make special foods to welcome their friends. It is common for the owner of the house to mark their guests’ forehead with colourful powder.

Following this trip around the world, StudentVille wishes everyone an Easter with the colours of the rainbow!