Easter

What on earth is this? The stores are filled with chickens, and painted eggs, And bunches of birch twigs, And coloured feathers And loads of sweets And you yourself are off school - for a whole week. It's time to celebrate Easter in Sweden! Easter has several different origins. The one you're likely to see most of is Christianity.

Within Christianity, Easter is the most important holy day. It tells of how Jesus was crucified, died, and then resurrected from the dead. In Christianity, Easter is also the feast that comes right after the fast. In this way, it resembles the Muslim feast Eid al Fitr - which ends the fasting month of Ramadan. Most often, Easter and Eid do not fall on the same day.

Within Judaism, Easter is also celebrated. But here, it's a reminder of the Jews' exodus from Egypt. And in Sweden, there was some sort of spring-feast celebrated, long before Christianity arrived. People celebrated the return of light and warmth, that plants began to grow from the ground, and that hens started laying eggs again. It was a celebration of life and fertility.

Exactly when Easter occurs is a bit confusing. It is always a weekend, in March or April. Listen carefully: Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday... ... after the first full moon... ... after the equinox.

And the equinox is the day in springtime, when day and night have equal length. The Thursday before Easter weekend is called Maundy Thursday In the 17th century, people believed in witches and that it was on Maundy Thursday that they flew on their brooms to take some time off, and meet up with the Devil. Way back, people hid their broomsticks on this day and scared off the witches with gunshots or firecrackers. After Maundy Thursday, comes Good Friday. In Christianity, this was the day that Jesus was crucified and died.

Good Friday is therefore celebrated quietly. Until late in the 20th century people dressed in black; and shops, cinemas and theatres were closed. In some families, the father, way back in time, gathered birch twigs and beat the others in the family - he was flogging them. No-one does this any longer, for sure, but the birch twigs themselves, remain. Good Friday is a day off - even for those who don't go to school.

Saturday then is: Easter Saturday. Now, the Easter Bunny arrives with eggs, filled with sweets and perhaps a gift. This Easter Bunny thing, it's originally a German tradition about a hare. Why a hare would lay eggs... one may well wonder...

Maybe it has something to do with fertility. Hares reproduce quickly in spring. On Easter Saturday you might have visiting relatives, and eat similar treats as at Christmas and Midsummer: pickled herring, potatoes, salmon, meatballs, lamb - and of course - eggs. Why do we eat so many eggs around Easter? Well, when light returned in springtime, the hens started laying eggs, remember? ...

after the winter? But if you are fasting, you don't eat eggs. So, when the fast is over and Easter begins - there are lots of eggs in the pantry. During Easter, it might happen that the doorbell rings - and when you open the door - you see children outside. They're dressed up, with shawls on their heads, brooms, and coffee pots.

They are Easter witches! The Easter witches would like some sweets dropped into their coffee pots. Or... they might whisk you away on their brooms to 'Blockula'! After Easter Saturday comes Easter Sunday.

In the Christian tradition, this was the day Jesus returned to life - he resurrected. Last of all the days in Easter comes Easter Monday. This is said to be the day when Jesus showed himself to the disciples. Whoops, hang on... Hi.

Ooh, I'm sorry - I haven't got any sweets for you...