The Easter Holiday is celebrated with a variety of activities in many countries around the world, and has become an opportunity for families to gathering and a festival where kids can have fun and of course, eat too many chocolates. It’s also a great opportunity for people from different cultural backgrounds to learn about local cultures and how they celebrate the Easter Festival. Let’s start with Sydney, Australia.
Sydney Royal Easter Show
First held in 1823, the Sydney Royal Easter Show has become one of the largest annual events, attracting over 850,000 people each year. It is not just an egg hunt, it’s a grand celebration of Australian culture from rural traditions to the modern daily life – you will have a chance to see how farmers shear a sheep, pig racings, Australian folk music shows, and a lot of local agricultural produces.
For more information, please go to http://www.eastershow.com.au/
Good Friday and Easter Week Processions in ItalyEaster holds great significance in Italy. Solemn religious processions are held in Italian cities and towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter and sometimes on Easter Sunday. Parade participants are often dressed in traditional ancient costumes, and olive branches are often used along with palm fronds in the processions and to decorate churches.To read more, please go to http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/easter.htmEgg Dance and Egg Hunt, LondonApart from the Egg hunt, chocolate, and bunny cuddling, London hosts an egg dance, which is a centuries-old tradition originating in Germany and is still enjoyed in the UK, US and much of Europe.To read more, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/finest-easter/easter-traditions-around-world/
Easter witches, Sweden
According to folklore, Thursday (the day before Good Friday) is the day all witches fly by broomstick to a mountain to cavort with the devil. So, to celebrate, children in Sweden and Finland dress up as witches. Much like Halloween, kids in witch costumes go door by door trading artworks for chocolate.
To read more, please go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/finest-easter/easter-traditions-around-world/
Cultural Perspectives believes that diversity of experience and tradition is one of the wonderful things about living in Australia.
How do you celebrate the Easter break? Whether it is a camping trip with friends, lunch on Sunday with family or spending the weekend exploring the local festivals and events near you, we wish you a safe and happy weekend.