Today people around the world will celebrate Easter. For some, the holiday is religious: for all, it is about food! But what kinds of food? And what traditions are typical of an American Easter? Our CISL students asked the question. The following are some common American Easter traditions:
Dying Easter Eggs
Even adults will admit that dying Easter eggs is very fun! Families and friends get together and color hard-boiled Easter eggs in beautiful spring colors. Inevitably, someone tries to make a color combination that does not work, and there is at least one brown egg at the end of the day.
Easter Egg Hunt
What do you do with all of those colorful Easter eggs after you dye them? Go on an Easter egg hunt! Adults hide the eggs throughout the yard and children search for them, placing each egg that they find in a basket. Some families use plastic eggs just in case their children do not find them all. Finding a rotten Easter egg in June is never fun! The plastic eggs are usually filled with candies, treats, or even money.
The Easter Bunny
As one student joked, “Americans love traditions where someone breaks into your house.” Hilarious . . . and true! Santa “breaks in” for Christmas and leaves gifts, the Tooth Fairy sneaks into our house when we lose a tooth, and during Easter, the Easter Bunny also intrudes into our homes. This furry friend leaves baskets full of gifts and candies.
Easter Dinner
What is on the menu at Easter dinner? The meal is different at every house, but some things are staples, like the following foods:
Deviled Eggs
You boiled the eggs, you dyed them, you searched for them during the Easter egg hunt . . . NOW what do you do with all of those eggs? Eat them! The most common way is to make deviled eggs. With deviled eggs, the yolk (the yellow part) is scooped out of the egg and mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper, and paprika. The mixture is then put back into the middle of the eggs.
Lamb . . . or Ham?
Both lamb and ham are common Easter dinner options. So is prime rib!
Candies!
Another culinary tradition is to Easter candy. Jelly beans, Cadbury eggs, and Peeps are the most popular, and are in nearly every Easter basket on Sunday morning.
Happy Easter to all of our students! Whether you are in the U.S. or in your home country, we hope that you have a beautiful spring.