Ten Fun Facts About Easter
It’s no surprise to most of us that today (April 4, 2021) is Easter Sunday. Resurrection Sunday is a happy day for Christians. It is the oldest Christian holiday and one of most important Christian days of the year. In the spirit of Easter Sunday, I thought it would be fun to share some facts about Easter that you may not have known. Here are ten fun, but often little-known facts about the holiday we know as Easter.
Not Everyone Knows This About Easter
1. Eggs are a symbol of new life.
Easter eggs are a staple of Easter. Decorating hardboiled eggs with my mom and grandma every year when I was a kid was one of those things I always looked forward to and will remember. The thrill and excitement in the air from a crowd of kids running around during an Easter Egg Hunt is energizing (or perhaps exhausting) for the parents watching them. Remember the sugar rush from the candy your kids find in those baskets will wear off – or at least, eventually it does. But in days long ago, eggs were associated with new life and used in the celebration of Spring.
2. It used to take over one day to make one Peep.
Oh Peeps, those ultra-sugary little chicks that take over during Easter. It seems that people are in a strong camp one way or another with these treats – love them or hate them, but nothing in between. I personally can’t stand them. I’ll stick to peanut butter eggs, thank you very much. But to all those Peep fans out there, you’re not alone because 700 million are eaten each Easter! One interesting fact anyone can appreciate about those fluffy little cavity creators is that back in 1953 when Peeps were founded, it took 27 hours to produce just one Peep. Flash forward to present day, and advances in technology slashed that number down to six minutes per Peep.
3. For most of us, bunny ears are the first to go.
It can be a hot debate item – what part of the chocolate bunny do you eat first, the head or the ears? As a kid, I always ate the left ear first, then the right ear. Turns out, many people would agree with me because some studies have shown 76% of people eat the ears off the chocolate bunny first. Though I found differing results in the percentage, in nearly all cases the “ears had it”. I think that is one study that many of us would be happy to volunteer for.
Life Hack: Dip the bunny ear into peanut butter. Life changed. You’ll thank me!
4. Egg painting originated from the Ukraine.
The official word for it was “Pysanka”. Remember that fun little factoid to share the next time you are out at a cocktail party, or even just a casual dinner or drinks with friends and you’ll wow the crowd.
5. Pretzels were once associated with Easter.
When one thinks of Easter foods, pretzels are not high on the list. But back in the 1950s in Germany, pretzels were a staple on Good Friday because they thought the twists resembled arms that were folded in prayer. Today pretzels could still be used as a delicious salty snack to offset all that sugary candy.
6. Easter egg baskets are still acceptable after we all grow up.
I was one of those lucky kids who would get an awesome Easter basket each year filled with candy and a variety of fun surprises. It’s a tradition that sometimes continues on, even after the kids grow up. In fact, some 60% of parents still plan to send their kids Easter baskets after they’ve moved out of the house. I don’t know if there is a statute of limitations on this for age, but I sure hope not. Easter baskets for everyone!
7. The Easter Bunny has been hiding those eggs for a long time.
The first known story about the Easter Bunny was published in 1680. That rabbit has been hiding eggs throughout the beautiful outdoors each year ever since. That little bunny has sure been busy!
8. Some chocolate bunnies are too big to be eaten.
Does the thought of eating the largest chocolate bunny ever made sound fun? Is your next thought, challenge accepted? I doubt you’ll agree after you hear what this entails. The Guinness World Records reports the largest-ever chocolate bunny measuring in at 12 feet and 6,635 pounds. Are you still feeling up to that challenge now? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
9. The Easter Butter Lamb had a place at the table.
Polish, Slovenians, and Russians were famously known to use this as an Easter centerpiece. The formal name of the Easter Butter Lamb is Baranek Wielkanocny and is a large chunk of butter which is shaped into a wooly lamb.
10. Easter eggs were once an accepted form of identification.
In the 19th century, it was hard for many families to travel far enough to obtain a birth certificate. Therefore, eggs were dyed and inscribed with the person’s name and birthdate, and those were considered accepted forms of legal identification. For obvious reasons, that won’t work today.
Always Be Yourself
At work this past week, we played an Easter trivia game and I realized how truly little I knew about Easter, at least historically. I think I scored 1 out of 10, seriously. While the facts I presented today were not a part of that trivia game, it did give me a nudge to learn a little more about this wonderful holiday. Hopefully you learned a few things too. There is an Easter quote (by an unknown source) that always makes me laugh which says, “Fun fact: Easter eggs prove that your child can find things when they want to.” It’s the same for us adults too, though. Sometimes, it just takes a little motivation. But remember, Easter is the only time it is safe to put all of your eggs into one basket.
Questions, comments, or just need to chat? Send me a direct message via LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.
Cheers until next time,
Crystal
