While thinking about our yearly Easter celebration, I wondered what Easter traditions were like around the world. Our family does fairly simple things for Easter: color hard-boiled eggs to decorate the table; fill colorful plastic eggs filled with money, and candy, around the house for an Easter Egg hunt; eating lamb for dinner; having beautiful desserts that remind us of Spring; and finally, surrounded by our family. So, what are Easter traditions from around the world?

7 Easter traditions from around the world

Easter in Italy

Well, of course, the Pope has a large role in the Easter tradition of Italy. He gives a service in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City. Before Easter happens, there’s a little thing known as Lent. Over in Venice, they have a huge Mardi Gras festival to start Lent off with a bang.

Let’s not forget about what’s to eat! Since it’s Italy, they’ve got to have their bread, right? Popular gifts given: Pannetone and Colomba. Let’s face it, a day without the gift of bread isn’t a day any Italian can handle! I say this, because I’m Italian.

Celebrating Easter in Greece

According to WhyEaster.com, fireworks signal Easter Sunday has started. Many families eat soup made of Lamb stomach. Later, for their main dish, roasted lamb. I knew I loved the Greeks!

Easter in the United Kingdom

It’s pretty similar in the UK, as it is in the United States. They decorate eggs, Pace Eggs. The term comes from the word pasche, meaning Passover.

An Australian Easter

Shockingly, there’s no Easter Bunny. They’ve got Easter Bilby. He’s a rodent that kind of resembles a rabbit. Family celebrations are the key to an Australian Easter tradition. Aussies serve roasted lamb, beef or chicken with roasted veggies, such as potatoes and carrots.

There’s also a game: Egg Knocking. Get your mind out of the gutter, it’s nothing crass. You use your hard-boiled egg, tap it against your opponents hard-boiled egg, in hopes of cracking their egg without cracking your own. Oh, my people are nutty. Not only am I Italian, but I’m also an Aussie. It’s a crazy combo, and Easter just proves how truly different my families can be.

Easter in Spain

Apparently, there’s a lot of processions that occur throughout Spain on Easter Sunday. We’re talking tronos (floats):

• representing stories of Easter
• with statues, or flowers

Approximately 50 people carry the tronos on their shoulders.

An Irish Easter

According to YourIrish.com, wearing Sunday’s best clothing at mass starts off Easter Sunday. Once mass if over, there’s of course an Easter feast including:

• potatoes
• meat
• bread
• veggies

No Easter Egg hunts, though. In order to receive an Easter Egg, kids must clean their dinner plates. Instead of colored eggs, it’s chocolate eggs.

Celebrating Easter in Colombia

I’m mistaken for Colombian on almost a daily basis.  People think I’m kidding, but after they witness it happen, they know I’m not even close to kidding. I don’t mind, it’s sort of just normal for me at this point. I’m thinking of learning Spanish, and really confusing people to no end!

In any event, when looking through Easter traditions from around the world, I had to see what went on in Colombia. According to Uncover Colombia, Easter Sunday isn’t really as important as the week leading up to Easter Sunday. It’s Holy Week. Teachers, and students, usually get the whole week off leading up to Easter. MOST of Colombia shuts down Holy Thursday and Good Friday, because the days are national holidays. Ironically, many Colombians will leave for the United States for vacation during Holy Week.

Easter Sunday isn’t super important for those who are in Colombia. Sure, many go to mass, but that’s about it. No Easter baskets, no Easter egg hunts, and chocolate bunnies? Not happening.

What are your Easter traditions where you’re from? Do you have family traditions for Easter? Please comment below and share your Easter traditions with me!