Hi to all off you. Did you have great Easter day's? We did. Our day begun with a two hour drive to my parents. They live in Twente a region in the east of the Netherlands, near Germany. Of course their is the traditional search for eggs in the garden. The moment the boy's arrive they have a hard time during lunch. After lunch the search begins. Grandma alway's hides some 'kinder suprise eggs'. You know those chocolate eggs filled with a little suprise. The boy's do share them equally at the end.
In the eavening we have dinner together. This year the weather was so fabulas we were able to eat on the terras. This dinner is granpa's speciallity. He is boiling the eggs. The tradition is to eat as many egg's s you like. There is easter bread, and all other kinds of bread, tea and coffee. When I was younger my brother and I alway's had a contest. Who can eat the most egg's. 13 egg's is my top. A college of my father many years ago ate 30 egg's and than didn't feel well because of the one beer he drunk. Hmmm it makes me wonder.
And of course the traditional egg 'tikken'. The boy's couldn't get enough of it. They were verry disappointed if their egg got bursts.
On Easter Sunday and on Easter Monday, large fires are lit at dusk in sections of Northwestern Europe. This practice extends northward into Denmark, Sweden and Finland, westward into the east of the Netherlands, southward into Switzerland and Austria, and eastward into the German Harz mountains. In the Netherlands, most of these fires take place in the provinces of Drenthe, Groningen, and Gelderland, with the largest being in Twente, a part of Overijssel.
It is a Saxon, pre-Christian tradition, that is still performed each year. There are several explanations of the meaning of these fires. The Saxons probably believed that around the time of Easter, Spring becomes victorious over Winter. The fires were supposed to help chase the darkness and winter away. It was also a symbol of fertility, which works in a literal sense in that the ashes were scattered over the meadows and thereby fertilized the soil. The pre-Christian meaning of Easter fires is hardly experienced anymore. Nowadays they are meant to bring the community together, which guarantees a pleasant night combined with the consumption of gin or lager and snacks. (From Wiki)
Befor the fire we had a little walk through the village with our lights. The children loved it, but ofcourse mum was carriing them at the end. Just fellt 'the lady with the lamb'. Just got a little Florence in me.
Unfortunatly the Easter fire I used to go doesn't exist anymore. I alway's loved it to go back there and meet with my old frends froms our neighbourhood and scool.
Below you see the Easter fire from Buurse. This is where we went this year. Because of the dry weather a lot off fires were not allowed.
Hope you do like my little story about our Eastern traditions. Feel free to ad yours in the comment. I just love traditions and I am verry curious to other traditions.
