The celebration of Easter in England began well before the arrival of
Christianity. In the Pre-Christian Era, the festival was observed in honor of
the Anglo Saxon Goddess - Eostre. Today, in England, the festivities of Easter
begin with Lent, which falls on Ash Wednesday, and lasts for 40 days. Easter
celebration in England is a low-key affair, as people prefer religious
observations as compared to joyous merriment. Easter is an occasion for sober
worship and quiet family gatherings sans the extravagance that accompanies
festivals like Christmas. Nevertheless, springtime celebrations are gleefully
observed in rural hinterland of the country. Easter eggs, games, feasting and
fun activities all are part of the festivities, even though the main
celebrations are seen in churches of the country. If you are keen on learning
about the traditions and celebrations of Easter in England, then go through the
following lines.
Easter Celebration In England
Palm Sunday
The celebration of Easter in England commences a week before the day, to be
specific, on Palm Sunday. The name has its origin in the Roman times, when it
was a customary to welcome royalty by waving the branches of palm tree.
According to the legends, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and
therefore, people welcomed him by laying a carpet of palm branches in the
streets and holding one in each of their hands, to wave them to the lord. Even
today, people in England go in parades on Palm Sunday, by carrying the palm
branches. The palm branches are often made into garlands and crosses, to use
them to decorate the church.
Morris Dance
In many parts of England, professional troupes of dancers perform Morris Dance
on Easter Sunday. These troupes of dancers, almost exclusively male, perform old
spring dances to frighten away the veil spirits of winter. The dancers clad
themselves in beautiful white shorts, red sashes, black trousers and straw hats,
with lots of flowers and streamers. Red and green ribbons and little bells are
tied onto the dancers, to complete the look.
Easter In Villages
English villages, with their quaint charm, provide the perfect backdrop for
witnessing traditional Easter traditions of England. During the ceremonious
occasion of Easter, the village church would be bedecked with fresh flowers.
Traditional Easter egg hunts are organized in the villages, wherein the Easter
Bunny hides Easter eggs for the local children to find. The village bakery would
offer fragrant hot cross buns, warm from the oven, and Simnel cakes, with
homemade 'marzipan' (a paste made with almond and sugar, generally used as icing
for cakes and pastries). In the town of Olney, pancake races have been held on
Shrove Tuesday, for over 500 years.
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