Holidays - Traditions: Easter 2006.

Easter Customs:

The Easter tree:

Now that Easter is approaching and I have not gone walking this week, I thought I would dedicate some more time on traditions. In Holland Easter is celebrated by people putting a branch of a tree, that is bare and hang eggs from it or little wooden figures of rabbits hens and eggs. The branch of a crinkle tree (known as a krinkeltak ), is placed in a pot with earthand decorated, the bare branch, represents the death of Christ and theeggs are the symbol of new life.

Foot washing:

Foot washing in Christ's time was a sign of courtesy and respect for a servant to wash guests feet when they arrived.

Jesus washed his twelve disciples feet, the night before he was crucified, this showed his disciples that he was their servant and he respected them.

It also showed them that in order to be good leaders, they must show respect to their followers and be willing to serve.

Apparently Kings and Lords in the Medieval times, followed Jesusexample, and washed twelve of the poorest men in their kingdom, on theThursday before Easter.

In England the Kings and Queens used to wash as many poor peoples feet as it was in years, and it is said that this custom is still practised today by Queen Elizabeth.

The Dutch Easter breakfast consists of boiled eggs, decorated by the children by hand, or stickers put on the eggs, or the eggs are dyed different colours with food colouring while been boiled.

Sugar bread (suiker broodt), easter bread (Paasstol) a bread with raisins and almond filling in the middel with almond nuts on top and sprinkled with icing sugar. and chocolate milk for the children, the Dutch do not like their children to drink coffee, only tea, as they consider coffee bad for them. Then off course the children get chocolate Easter eggs. It is amazing how every country has a different way of celebrating Easter and their traditions, I enjoy reading about this, and it very interesting for me.

In Rhodesia where I was raised, we celebrated Easter in English traditions with hot cross buns (raisin buns or currant buns with a cross on top to remind us of Jesus being crucified on the cross), andboiled eggs. I celebrate both breakfast traditions now here in theNetherlands, at my breakfast table.

I hope everyone had a good Easter.






our Easter breakfast table.





Hedge Hog Bread Rolls.





Hot cross buns.





Paasstol.




Coloured eggs.





Easter Greetings - Easter Bunnies.