Easter is one of the major festivals in Canada, celebrated with great fanfare,
just like other countries in the western world. In Canada, the festival falls on
the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox. Apart from the religious
observations, Easter celebrations in Canada are marked by popular traditions
such as organizing Easter egg hunts, decoration of the eggs and feasting with
family and friends. The air is filled with festivity, during the holiday season.
The festival is very important for the Christians in the country, while the
non-Christian community living there also takes part in the celebrations,
thereby adding more color to the festivities. Check out the article and get
interesting information on the traditions and celebrations of Easter in Canada.
Easter Celebration In Canada
Decoration Of Easter Egg
In Canada, decorating Easter eggs is usually an activity done with children at
school or home. The traditional Easter egg hunts are held by community
organizations. World's largest Easter egg is a product of Canada. In 1975, the
Easter egg or Ukranian 'Pysanka' was constructed, in the remembrance of early
Ukrainian settlements in an area east of Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian
province of Alberta. Due to the complicated geometry of the egg shape of Pysanka,
it was very difficult to raise such a huge structure. Professor Ronald Resch, a
computer scientist at the University of Utah, undertook the project of designing
the egg. With his strenuous efforts, Pysanka was raised, with intricate design.
The egg consisted of a huge jig-saw puzzle, with 524 star patterns and 2206
equilateral triangles.
Winter Carnival
One of the major parts of the celebrations of Easter in Canada is the winter
carnival, organized in Quebec City. The Quebec City Winter Carnival in Quebec,
Canada, is a prominent pre-Lent carnival. The winter-themed carnival is
dependent on good snowfalls and cold weather to keep snowy ski trails in good
condition and the many ice sculptures intact. Hence, instead of relying on the
lunar based Easter celebration, the carnival date is fixed on the last days of
January and first days of February of the solar calendar. Besides the carnival
parade, the Winter Carnival features special sporting events such as skating,
skiing, and tobogganing.
Traditions
People in Canada eat traditional Easter lunch, after offering prayers to the
Almighty. The popular dishes served on Easter in Canada, include Maple Baked
Beans, Potatoes Nicoise, Cape Breton Sconces and Apple Tart. The Easter eggs are
consumed with by mixing them with maple syrup, after fasting is over. Most of
the theatres of community halls of the major cities of Canada are booked in
advance, to organize Easter plays and songs, during the festive season. Easter
symbols including 'Pussy Willows', Easter lilies and bunnies find a prominent
place in the traditions of the festival followed in the country.
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