Festive Traditions and Cultural Identities: Easter in Italy and U.S.

Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian world, on par with Christmas, as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Besides religious practices, each culture has its own ways of celebrating this festivity, which reflect people’s lifestyles and traditions. Even the features and uses of the inevitable Easter Egg differ from one country to another, revealing or emphasizing different cultural traits.

 

The tradition of the Easter Egg dates back to pre-Christian times, as many ancient civilizations around the world considered it a symbol of life and rebirth associated with the Spring season. The custom of exchanging dyed or decorated eggs during the Easter period came about in the Middle Ages.

In many Italian regions the oldest version of the traditional “egg painting” still stands. On Easter Eve, the family gathers around the table to paint hard-boiled chicken eggs: creativity, satire, and personal dedications are allowed. The following day, they are donated to relatives and friends as a gift during the festive lunch, along with the more desirable chocolate ones filled with prizes. In some areas, like the Lazio region, Easter lunch can be replaced by a breakfast or brunch that includes both sweets and savories.

 

Chicken eggs are also the main ingredient used to prepare typical Easter dishes, such as the famous Colomba, Pastiera, and Torta Pasqualina, just to name a few. Overall, Easter celebrations in Italy betray our natural tendency for food and conviviality.

 

Easter is a very popular holiday in the United States as well, where it is usually commemorated with parades and “egg hunts.” The latter is a typical game during which decorated eggs are hidden indoors or outdoors for children to find on Easter morning.

Nowadays, chicken eggs are often replaced by plastic ones filled with confectionery. Candies and jellybeans are actually more common than chocolate eggs in the American tradition, while at the same time chocolate bunnies are very popular. The figure of the Easter Bunny probably dates back to the 18th century, described as the fantasy character who brings – or hides – Easter Eggs for the children.   

 

Another traditional game is the so-called “Easter egg roll”, played on a flat ground by pushing the eggs along with a spoon. In the Christian interpretation, rolling eggs symbolize the removal of the stone from Jesus Christ’s tomb.

 

A famous and eagerly awaited event, allegedly started in 1878 by U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, is the annual Egg Roll held on Easter Monday on the south lawn of the White House. Children of different ages and their families are invited to participate. This year, the 136th edition of the event was named “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape” and linked to the campaign “Let’s Move”, launched by the First Lady to promote healthy nutrition and fight against childhood obesity. Over 30,000 attendees are expected.

 

Also noteworthy is the popular “egg tapping” contest, in which one player holds a hard-boiled egg and taps the egg of the opponent, trying to break it.

 

In some states or cities, these pastimes can turn into real competitions, with players winning prizes and even cheating. Overall, they seem to reflect an American taste for sociability and challenging activities.  

This doesn’t mean that Italians are completely unaccustomed to competitive events featuring both hard-boiled or raw eggs during the Easter holidays. On the contrary, egg tapping is actually played in Italy as well, in particular in the small town of Fiorenzuola D’Arda, in Emilia-Romagna region; while in Cividale del Friuli a very old, peculiar, and complicated game called “Truc” involves colored eggs going down a sand basin, with the aim of touching the other players’ eggs according to specific rules.

 

Another village in Emilia-Romagna, Tredozio, has become very popular for its traditional Palio dell’Uovo, held since 1964 on Easter Sunday and Monday. It involves the four quarters of the town, and includes a number of different games such as target shooting, raw egg battle, egg-and-spoon race, tug of war, relay race, egg hunt, sack race, and more.

 

The festival is opened by a historical parade showcasing typical medieval costumes that used to identify each of the town quarters, followed by a marching band, flag bearers, and pageboys carrying the silver trophy to be awarded to the winner of the Palio. During the two-day feast, the streets of Tredozio are packed with arts and crafts exhibitions and food stands for the visitors to enjoy omelets, cakes, and other local specialties made with eggs. The public is also invited to participate in fun activities like the piñata, the raw egg beating, and the National Egg Eating Championship.

 

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if one prefers to play with the eggs or would rather have them for breakfast: they remain the secret ingredient of a cheerful Easter to spend with the loved ones.