Village Life
Easter Egg Hunt – by Jayne Whytock
E
very Easter, children look forward to the traditional Easter egg hunt. Whether it is at home, in the garden or an organised event, they are full of fun, laughter and come with the mandatory over-eating of chocolate.
But where did this tradition start and what is the connection with the Easter bunny (who leaves the eggs for the children to find)? In pre-Christian times the egg was linked to new life and the season of new beginnings. Christians adapted this adding that the egg was a symbol of the resurrection of Christ and the empty egg shell a representation of the tomb. During Lent the eating of eggs was forbidden and as the poor couldn’t afford the luxury of meat, they greatly missed this staple part of their diet. At the end of the 40 days, celebrations would be held where the Church or the Lord of the Manor would give them out as gifts to the poor. As time went on and the way of life for many improved, the giving of eggs was seen as more of a present than a necessity and they started to become decorated with pretty colours and flowers etc. The part of the Easter bunny goes back to Germany, where the hare or rabbit is likened to fertility and the Virgin Mary. Many paintings and documents link the two. As time moved on the idea of hiding the eggs for children to find (obviously left by an extremely large
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D I S C O V E R I N G
March
bunny) became part of the Easter celebrations, and with the introduction of chocolate and the means to mould this delicious treat into shapes, the modern-day event was formed. Today Easter eggs are a £multi-million business and you can buy many types, from the small crispy coated ones right through to the luxurious and very expensive kinds. They can either be just a hollow egg or filled with sweets. The decoration can be actually piped onto the egg itself and personalised or the egg can just be covered with foil in bright colours and very distinguishable – not naming any brands here! From supermarkets to specialist chocolatiers’ designs, Easter eggs are big business but that doesn’t detract from the fun for both adults (who hide the treats) and children (who enjoy them). Many happy hours have been spent walking the streets of Wimblington over the years hunting in the most obscure places for a sparkly colourful egg. And if we didn’t actually join in the organised event, we would hide them around the garden or if the weather was horrible, we would hide them in the house, and many a time it would be autumn when we suddenly discovered that one that had always eluded everyone on the day. So, this Easter if you see an extremely large pink fluffy bunny walking on two legs with a basket on their arm you will know what they are up to!
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