Monday, March 29, 2010

A Monday History Lesson...!


All this talk about the Easter bunny and where he came from and why he is the symbol we seem to think of during this time...lead me to wonder about the Easter egg.

You know, research about something like this is kinda hard...mainly because the different types of symbols and traditions and histories. Many of the roots of our present day holiday are from a long, long time ago.

I found some information on About.com that you might find interesting...plus think of all the people you can impress at the next boring get-together! You could even shut up the "know-it-all" brother-in-law...if only for a second!

The ancient Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians, and Hindus all believed the world began with an enormous egg, thus the egg as a symbol of new life has been around for eons. The particulars may vary, but most cultures around the world use the egg as a symbol of new life and rebirth. A notation in the household accounts of Edward I of England showed an expenditure of eighteen pence for 450 eggs to be gold-leafed and colored for Easter gifts. The first book to mention Easter eggs by name was written five hundred years ago. Yet, a North African tribe that had become Christian much earlier in time had a custom of coloring eggs at Easter. Long hard winters often meant little food, and a fresh egg for Easter was quite a prize. Later, Christians abstained from eating meat during the Lenten season prior to Easter. Easter was the first chance to enjoy eggs and meat after the long abstinence.

Some European children go from house to house begging for Easter eggs, much like Halloween trick-or-treaters. Called pace-egging, it comes from the old word for Easter, Pasch. Many old cultures also attributed the egg with great healing powers. It is interesting to note that eggs play almost no part in the Easter celebrations of Mexico, South America, and Native American Indian cultures. Egg-rolling contests are a symbolic re-enactment of the rolling away of the stone from Christ's tomb. The decoration of small leaf-barren branches as Easter egg trees has become a popular custom in the United States since the 1990s.


So, there ya go! Once again the Hermit has provided you with more information than you ever really wanted to know about this subject!You just never know what you may find when you drop in for coffee, right?

Speaking of coffee, my friends, let's get a fresh cup and sit in the kitchen for a bit. Hopefully, it will turn into a beautiful day!

18 comments:

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

The easter bunny (or as we call him, the easter hare) has never been especially popular here in Sweden, here it´s the wich and rooster/hen/chicken that is the easter symbols.

When young I did go around at easter like Your children does at Halloween, but we couldn´t care less about eggs, we wanted candy :-) :-) :-) What I know kids still does that here today.

Lots of interesting facts that I had no idea about, thanks!
Have a great day now!
Christer.

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
That kinda goes along with what I had read during my research.

I didn't know about the candy instead of the eggs, though. Here we put out both candy and eggs...

hey, thanks for the information and for the visit!

Momlady said...

Another interesting read. Of course, there are other facts surrounding Easter. It all depends on what one believes, I guess. Would love to sit and chat but have much to do. Have a great day!

HermitJim said...

Hey Momlady...
True, there are so many facts about Easter...besides the religious, that one could write a full weeks worth of post on them all!

Such a mixture of christian and pagan beliefs, it's hard to separate them.

Anyway, you have a good day...and I do appreciate the visit today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

All I remember about Easter was Mom and Dad hid plastic eggs with money in them. Money always keeps the kids close. Mom always hand painted eggs, we still have some stored to leave to our kids. Today, I'm probably like you, I can't wait to go to the Easter Bunch/Buffet.

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One,
Another lesson in times past. I love learning these all the lessons you bring to us.
Coffee in the kitchen or patio is always a wonderful thing with good friends.
Hugs

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
We used to decorate a lot of eggs when I was younger...and of course, hunted eggs on Easter morning! No telling ho many we missed over the years!

I have seen some beautiful hand-painted eggs from some folks! They would certainly make for some great mementos.

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
Sweetie, I'm so glad you could drop by before you took off wandering again!

A trip to watch the Spring flowers should be a good one...

Thanks for joining me for a cup this beautiful day!

Tatersmama said...

Great info! I can still smell the smell of rotten eggs never found...and the worst smeller of all being found in the wood box in the living room! GAG!!!
Ahhh...I have great memories of coloring eggs with my kids... *sigh*

Bob Mc said...

There is no Easter Bunny. He came by here last year, and I ATE HIM! LOL.

TEAM HALL said...

Afternoon Jim! I'm telling yah, you're always a wealth of information!!
We brought our little pups home on Saturday...so much fun! Now you got me thinking about the "egg hunt" with 2 little pups burnin' around! Oh boy!
Have a good one,

HermitJim said...

Hey Tatersmama...
Lots of information connected to those holidays for sure.

I can only imagine the smell of an egg left for a long time in the wood box...WHEW!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey Bob...
Did ya serve him up with some carrots and stuff...or just fry him? I kinda like fried rabbit, with some gravy on the side!

Hey, thanks for the visit, my friend!


Hey Cath...
That could turn into an interesting egg hunt! I can just see the excitement, both with the kids and the pups!

Might want to stick with the plastic eggs this year, ya think?

I sure am glad you could come by today!

Unknown said...

A little trivia about Easter to have with your coffee Easter is all way the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox Vernal Equinox Mar 20 2010 1:32 PM EDT
Full Moon 2010 Apr 28 12:21 Wed •February 17 - Ash Wednesday
•March 28 - Palm Sunday
•April 1 - Maundy (Holy) Thursday
•April 2 - Good Friday
•April 4 - Easter Sunday (

Bob Mc said...

Baked with sweet/sour sauce. Tasty

Unknown said...

I enjoyed that post very much. For us until I became a grwon up it was Easter baskets, eggs, Sunday service in pretty lacy dresses and pretty new shoes. I really miss the fan fair of it all.

HermitJim said...

Hey Ted...
I appreciate the information...and the vist! Thank you!


Hey Bob...
Sounds pretty tasty to me! Fresh baked bread, maybe...

Thanks again!


Hey K.D....
I remember the new clothes! Of course, with 3 younger sisters...it was mostly new dresses for them, and new shoes for me!

Sometimes I wonder how my folks did it, with the money they had available. Pretty amaing!

Hey, thanks for the visit, my friend!

Mayberry said...

Jim, you are a wealth of information!

HermitJim said...

Hey Mayberry...
You know me, buddy! just a warehouse of almost useless information!

Must use all that empty space upstairs for something, ya know?

Have a great day...and thanks for coming by today!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.