Easter Eggs

Egg is another popular Easter icon. Eggs and Easter seem to have almost become synonymous with each other. The history of egg's association with Easter goes back to the traditional spring rites. There are many ancient myths associated with eggs that relate man with the egg. An old Latin proverb- Omne vivum ex ovo (all life comes from an egg) explains it all.

The legend relating eggs with fertility is found all over the world. Therefore, it is not strange that in more or less all ancient cultures eggs had been held as symbol of life.

During the Christian period, it was believed that eggs laid on Good Friday, and kept for a hundred years, would have their yolks turn to diamond. It was believed that if Good Friday eggs were cooked on Easter they would promote the fertility of the trees and crops and guard against unexpected disaster. Anybody finding two yolks in an Easter egg was thought to become rich in future.

In many countries like Egypt, Persia, Greece, and Rome, people used to color and decorate eggs and these eggs were eaten at the spring festivals. The Persians of that time gave eggs as gifts at the vernal equinox. Slowly and gradually colored eggs have come to dominate the Easter basket, although it's not clear how it came into being. It is considered that it was introduced in Europe during the course of the fifteenth century when the knights, during their crusades, brought in the concept of the coloring of eggs westwards.

There is yet another superstition associated with the coloring of eggs- in medieval period, when the church bells returned after Pope's blessings on Easter eve, they were accompanied with colored eggs.

Originally, the chicken eggs were dyed and painted but today, they are often substituted with delicious chocolate eggs. The variety of Easter eggs ranges from hollow chocolate eggs wrapped in brightly colored foil, delicate sugar and pastry Easter eggs and the jelly egg made from sugar-coated pectin candy.