Easter is celebrated in diverse and unique ways across the globe. While some traditions involve egg hunts and chocolate treats, others are deeply rooted in centuries-old customs and religious practices. Let’s take a journey around the world and explore some of the most interesting Easter traditions that are still observed today.
As a note, I love discovering traditions from all over the world and, if you are like me, I am inviting you to read also:
I am convinced you will love these articles too.
But now let’s get back to the topic of this material: interesting Easter customs 🙂 Let’s see how is Easter celebrated worldwide!
Photo source: Pexels
Fascinating Easter Traditions and Customs from Around the World
You will see below fascinating international Easter traditions. I admit that I was pleasantly surprised to learn about some of them – while others were familiar.
Finland – Vitsa, Easter Witches, and Rairuoho (Easter Grass)
ID 52238457 | Finland Easter © Alexander Shalamov | Dreamstime.com
In Finland, Easter has a touch of Halloween! Children dress up as witches, donning colorful clothing and painted faces, and go door-to-door exchanging willow twigs for sweets and coins.
This custom, rooted in old folklore, is meant to ward off evil spirits and bring blessings to households.
Another fun tradition is to plant rairuoho (Easter grass) in spring – wheat, rye, or grass seeds in shallow dishes lined with tissue paper or cotton wool. The seeds quickly sprout into bright green shoots that symbolize spring’s renewal and fertility. (1)
Bermuda – Flying Easter Kites
In Bermuda, Easter is celebrated with a stunning kite-flying tradition. I find this to be one of the most interesting Easter traditions worldwide!
Locals craft beautiful, vibrant kites (geometric forms) and fly them on Good Friday, symbolizing Christ’s ascension. This tradition brings families and communities together for a joyful day at the beach or open fields. (2)
Greece – The Rocket War of Chios
One of the most thrilling Easter traditions takes place on the Greek island of Chios in the village of Vrontados.
Here, two rival churches engage in a “rocket war” (Rouketopolemos) on the night of Holy Saturday. I admit I did not see this coming. I wasn’t expecting such a war bewtween churches to exist. It is an interesting Easter tradition for sure! Thousands of homemade rockets are fired between the two churches in a spectacular display, aiming to hit the opponent’s bell tower.
This tradition, dating back to the Ottoman era, symbolizes the island’s rich history and its community spirit. (3)
Spain – The Passion Processions of Seville
ID 328410251 © Felipe Rodr�guez | Dreamstime.com
In Spain, Easter is marked by elaborate religious processions, especially in Seville.
The Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions feature hooded penitents, massive floats carrying statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary, and somber marching bands.
This centuries-old Easter tradition is a deeply spiritual and artistic display of devotion that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
As a note, if you have time and money, you should definitely plan a trip to Spain during the Holy Week as this is one of the best Easter destinations in Europe! (4)
Poland – Śmigus-Dyngus (Wet Monday)
The Monday after Easter Sunday in Poland is known as Śmigus-Dyngus, or Wet Monday.
On this day, people engage in playful water fights, dousing each other with buckets of water, water guns, or even garden hoses. Historically, this tradition symbolizes cleansing and renewal, and in past times, it was believed that getting wet on this day would bring good fortune. (5)
Australia – The Bilby, Not the Bunny
ID 40693949 | Bilby © Amarosy | Dreamstime.com
Australia has swapped the traditional Easter Bunny for the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial.
There were two species of bilbies, but one is extinct, and the other one is in danger, so conservation efforts have promoted the bilby as an alternative Easter symbol. Chocolate bilbies are now popular Easter treats, helping raise awareness for this endangered species. (6)
Sweden – Påskkärringar (Easter Witches)
ID 59475501 © Pablo Hidalgo | Dreamstime.com
Similar to Finland, Swedish children dress as witches on Maundy Thursday and go house to house offering handmade drawings in exchange for treats.
This tradition stems from an old belief that witches flew to meet the devil before Easter, and today it has become a fun, family-friendly Easter custom. (7)
Guatemala – Alfombras (Carpets of Flowers)
ID 29943717 | Alfombras ©Dav363 | Dreamstime.com
In Guatemala, Easter processions take place over stunning “alfombras”—intricate carpets made of dyed sawdust, flowers, and pine needles. These temporary artworks line the streets and are trampled as the processions pass, symbolizing devotion and sacrifice. (8)
France – The Giant Omelet of Bessières
When searching for Easter traditions online, you may have seen photos with a huge omelet. Maybe you wandered what’s the connection between an omelet and Easter. And here is the fun fact.
The town of Bessières, France, prepares a massive omelet each Easter Monday, using over 15,000 eggs! This custom honors Napoleon, who once ordered an enormous omelet for his troops. Today, it remains a delightful and communal event, enjoyed by both locals and tourists. (9)
Czech Republic & Slovakia – Whipping with Willow Branches
Photo source
In these countries, Easter Monday involves a unique custom where men playfully whip women with decorated willow branches, called “pomlázka” (Czech Republic) and “korbáč” (Slovakia). This practice is believed to bring health and youth to the women and is often accompanied by singing and laughter. (10)
Hungary – Locsolkodás (Sprinkling)
Hungary’s Easter Monday tradition, Locsolkodás, involves men playfully sprinkling women with water or perfume, sometimes reciting a poem before doing so.
This custom is said to have pagan fertility roots and is still a widely practiced and cherished tradition. Nowadays, you may see people using water to sprink women. (11)
Mexico – The Burning of Judases
One of the interesting Easter customs comex from mexico. Here, Holy Saturday is marked by the “Burning of Judases,” where effigies representing Judas Iscariot, corrupt politicians, or other disliked figures are set on fire or exploded with fireworks.
This custom symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. (12)
Brazil – Street Processions
Brazil celebrates Easter with grand street processions reenact the story of Christ’s last days. You will see grand statues on the streets – with different meaning for each procession. For instance, during “Procissão do Encontro” (Procession of the Encounter) – Statues od Mary and Jesus are reunited. In this country you can also enjoy “pão de queijo” (cheese bread) during Easter. (13)
Norway – Easter Crime Novels (Påskekrim)
In Norway, Easter is a time for crime novels! Norwegians indulge in “Påskekrim”—reading or watching crime thrillers. Bookstores release special Easter crime stories, and even milk cartons feature mini mystery stories.
The funny thing is that this unusual Easter tradition started with fake news and a book. A crime novel launched in 1923 about the looting of a train to Bergen. The authors found an interesting way of promoting this: they bought advertising on the first page of a famous newspaper and people thought it was a fact. People bought the book and as Easter is known as a period of time when Norwegians relax, go skiing, rent cabins, reading a crime novel become a thing.
I love crime novels – so I really love this Easter tradition in Norway! (14)
Ethiopia – Fasika (Orthodox Easter)
ID 13946416 ©Xstefanou | Dreamstime.com
Ethiopians celebrate Fasika, their Orthodox Easter, with a strict 55-day fast leading up to Easter Sunday. After fasting, families enjoy a feast of injera (flatbread) and doro wat (spicy chicken stew) to mark the occasion.
Of course, this is not the only place where there is a feast – all countries that celebrate Easter have this custom and special foods, but it is always great to discover more such traditional Easter foods – apart from the famous coloured eggs, chocolate eggs and bunnies, etc.
Colombia – The Devil’s Holy Week
In the town of Mompox, Colombia, locals celebrate “Semana Santa del Diablo” (The Devil’s Holy Week) with theatrical performances and parades that depict the struggle between good and evil, ultimately showing the victory of the good and Christ. (15)
Germany – The Easter Fire
In Germany, large bonfires are lit on Easter Saturday or Sunday as a symbol of driving away winter and welcoming spring. Communities gather around the fire, enjoying food and celebrations. This tradition has both pagan and Christian influences. (16)
Italy – Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart)
ID 83507534 ©Artshotphoto | Dreamstime.com
Florence is one of our next vacation destinations and I am including in this article an interesting Easter tradition from Italy – Florence.
Florence, Italy, hosts one of the most dramatic Easter customs: the Scoppio del Carro, or “Explosion of the Cart.”
A grand cart filled with fireworks is ignited in front of the Duomo on Easter Sunday, creating a dazzling display. This tradition, dating back over 350 years, ensures a good harvest and prosperity for the year ahead. You can see some examples of carts exploded on YouTube.
Philippines – Senakulo and Crucifixion Reenactments
In the Philippines, some devout Catholics participate in Senakulo, dramatic plays depicting the Passion of Christ.
In certain areas, individuals even undergo real crucifixion reenactments as acts of extreme devotion. While controversial, these practices draw large crowds and are integral to the Filipino Easter experience. (17)
Romania – Painted Eggs, Decorated Eggs (Yes, they are different!), Midnight Church Services, and great food
Photo from Pixabay
In my country, Romania, Easter is an important religious holiday, celebrated with a mix of Orthodox Christian traditions and local customs. One of the most cherished practices is the painting of eggs, often in bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ. But yiu will see eggs painted in all colours – both with natural and synthetics dyes.
Some regions take this art to the next level with intricate, hand-painted designs featuring traditional motifs. And here we get to the decorated eggs – Ouă Încondeiate”. These are created using a wax-resist method where designs are drawn with melted beeswax using a special tool called a “chișiță” or “condei.” The eggs are then dipped in successive dye baths, creating multi-colored masterpieces with geometric patterns, floral motifs, and ancient symbols. Different regions have distinctive styles and symbols. If you will go to Easter fairs, you will be able to buy such decorated eggs.
Some paint the acually egg shell (the content is removed from the egg), but you will also find wooden eggs (more resistant.) I have two of these at home and they are very pretty.
On the night of Holy Saturday, people gather at churches for the midnight Easter service. As the clock strikes midnight, priests announce “Hristos a înviat!” (“Christ has risen!”), to which the crowd responds, “Adevărat a înviat!” (“Truly, He has risen!”). Attendees light candles from the priest’s holy flame and take them home to bring blessings to their households.
A traditional Easter meal includes cozonac (a sweet bread), drob (a lamb dish woth minced meat), and pască (a sweet cheese-filled pastry) plus lamb roast. Families also engage in a friendly egg-tapping game, where two people knock their painted eggs together—whoever’s egg remains unbroken is said to have good luck for the year.
You tap once – say “Hristos a înviat!” (“Christ has risen!”), and the other person replies “Adevărat a înviat!” (“Truly, He has risen!”). The broken egg is replaces, and you take another egg and tap again.
In some parts of the country, vollagers raise their hens with special seeds and there is a contest where the person who breaks all eggs at this tapping game goes home with all the eggs – and has the hardest egg! This is quite a tradition and winners are always very proud!
Portugal – Compasso Pascal (Easter Visit)
In Portugal, priests go door-to-door during Easter, blessing homes with a cross and holy water. Families prepare traditional Easter cakes and celebrate with loved ones in a welcoming and spiritual atmosphere.
United States – The White House Easter Egg Roll
The U.S. celebrates Easter with many traditions, but one of the most famous is the White House Easter Egg Roll. Hosted on the White House lawn since 1878, children roll decorated eggs with wooden spoons in a fun and festive event that includes games, storytelling, and appearances by the President and First Lady. Each President can bring their own touch to this celebration.
Easter Traditions Thoughts
Easter traditions around the world are incredibly diverse, ranging from solemn religious observances to playful community events. Many cultures share common themes—such as eggs representing new life (seen in egg rolling, decorating, and chocolate eggs) or the welcoming of spring (bonfires, flowers, and cleansing customs). Whether through spectacular processions, exciting water fights, or delicious feasts, Easter remains a time of joy, renewal, and togetherness across the globe.
For me, Easter is a holiday that, above anything else, brings hope. It is also about spending time with my family, taking a break from it all (children have school vacation too). I like the traditional foods (though I prefer chicken instead of lamb), I like to tap eggs with my family, I like cozonac (you must try it!!!)
I love the fact that there are many countries observing Easter in a similar way, but also that the essence of Easter is everywhere, even if the Easter traditions and customs are different. It is always with great pleasure that I discover other traditions and ways to celebrate Easter and I hope this article inspires you to experience Easter in different countries.
And I know that there are countries where Easter is not associated with its relgious meaning, but it is still a holiday celebrated with fun events and limited edition sweets and products (this happens in Japan, for instance.)
I am also inviting you to share in the comments what Easter custom or tradition you like the most and how is Easter celebrated where you are.
Notes:
If you want to learn more about all the customs and Easter traditions mentioned above, with a personal note that I knww about many customs from friends or personal experiences, I am adding some extra resources for you (all the sites were acccessed March 23rd, 2025):
1: https://finland.fi/life-society/wandering-witches-welcome-finnish-easter/
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_kite
3: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-68961495
4: https://en.andalucia.org/blog/post/easter-week-in-andalusia/
5: https://culture.pl/en/article/smigus-dyngus-polands-national-water-fight-day
6: https://australian.museum/blog/amri-news/australias-answer-to-the-easter-bunny-the-easter-bilby/
7: https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/culture-history-and-art/swedish-traditions/easter-sweden/
8: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/paid-content-everything-to-know-semana-santa-guatemala and
9: https://www.giantomelette.org/about-us
10: https://english.radio.cz/czech-easter-tradition-whipping-girls-8164899
11: https://abouthungary.hu/news-in-brief/hungary-s-easter-traditions-6606bc6746460
12: https://www.learner.org/series/art-through-time-a-global-view/conflict-and-resistance/la-quema-de-los-judas-the-burning-of-the-judases/
13: https://www.latinofoods.co.nz/post/easter-latin-america
14: https://ingebretsens-blog.com/its-almost-time-for-paskekrim-or-easter-crime/ – cool, detailed story
15: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-latin-america-68662739 – there is a video too
16: https://www.regionen.sachsen.de/en/easter-fires-5606.html
17: https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/philippines-holy-week-street-plays-reenact-jesus-life-passion and https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/07/easter-crucifixion-reenactments-resume-in-philippines-after-three-year-covid-pause
18: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/collections/white-house-easter-egg-roll?
