EASTER

Why do we have eggs at Easter?

Eggs are a forbidden food during Lent, making them a welcome return to the menu on Easter Day.

Why do we give eggs at Easter?
Easter is a Christian festival. For Christians the custom of giving eggs at Easter celebrates new life. Christians remember that Jesus, after dying on the cross, rose from the dead. They believe that, through his resurrection, Jesus defeated death and sin and offers people the promise of eternal life if they follow his teachings.
What were the first Easter eggs like?
The first eggs given at Easter were birds eggs. These eggs were painted in bright colours to give them further meaning as a gift. We still paint bird eggs today but usually only chicken eggs.
An Anglo-Saxon legend - the Easter bunny and eggs

An Anglo-Saxon legend tells how the Saxon goddess Eostre found a wounded bird and transformed it into a hare, so that it could survive the Winter. The hare found it could lay eggs, so it decorated these each Spring and left them as offering to the goddess.
Easter Egg Customs
In the UK, we have many Easter Customs involving eggs:
Pace Egging
Egg rolling
Egg Jarping
Egg giving (see Easter Day)
Easter egg hunts (see Easter Day)
Pace Egging
What are Pace Eggs?
Pace Eggs are hard boiled eggs with patterned shells, they are traditional in northern parts of England at Easter, with local variants in the name, such as Paste Eggs.
Where does the name Pace Egg come from?
The name is derived from Pesach (Passover).