Italy is made of regions and, especially when you speak about traditions connected to festivities, shows all its wonderful diversity. Let’s think about Easter: every area, city or small village has its custom, its typical plate, its traditional sweets. A marvellous and gluttonous mosaic of different celebrations, with some untouchable common points (the colomba, for example, or the exchange of chocolate eggs).
In fact, it comes as something of a surprise how connected-Easter traditions could change across the different European countries. We’ve thought to pick up the strangest and funniest ones, in case you take a cue for a little bit different Easter!
Germany – The triumph of green
Everything starts with Gründonnerstag, the Maundy Thursday, during which the tradition covers to eat only green vegetables. Then it continues with decorated eggs, with a particular attention for Osterhase, the easter bunny, protagonist of a children scavenger hunt.
Sweden – The other Halloween
In Sweden, Easter is a particularly dear festivity. Here, the tradition is very similar to Halloween one: children dress up as witches or wizards and, on a broomstick, go door-to-doors offering easter cards in change of sweets.
Finland – Sauna and bonfires
As holidays, even on easter day in Finland, it is customary going to sauna with the family. Another tradition of a lot of festivities, including Easter, is the organization of big bonfires, called kokko, to scare witches and monsters of the forest.
Bulgary – A spotless Easter
Do you know the spring cleaning? In Bulgary, the tradition wants houses to be brightened up before Easter.
Denmark – Easter yellow
If in Germany the easter colour is green, in Denmark everything must be yellow coloured on this festivity: not for nothing, daffodils, which bloom in this period, are called “the easter flowers”.
Spain – Cheering Easter
In Spain, all the religious festivities are very felt and represent the occasion to get together across the streets to feast. Processions, parades, shows and concerts are tradition across the country. Particularly noisy is Tamborada, typical on Hellin Holy Week: 20.000 drums resonate together on the city streets.
France – Flying bells
In France, traditionally, bells mustn’t ring from Thursday to Saturday on Holy Week. It is said to children that bells flew to Rome and will return on Sunday morning, taking eggs which they will have to find in a funny scavenger hunt.
Romania _ Eggs battle
During the easter Romanian lunch, it’ possible to witness to a traditional family “eggs battle”. Two hard-boiled eggs are kicked one against the other: the one with the strongest shell wins, while the loser will have to eat the broken eggs.
Italy – The chocolate kingdom
In Italy the sweetest easter tradition is doubtless one which is connected to chocolate eggs. Not only children, also adults exchange, as gift, colourful and tasty eggs. To celebrate Easter, settling everyone, Caffarel thought to a eggs range, suitable for all needs. For the little ones, there’re milk chocolate eggs in double version for males (light blue) and females (pink), with Clementoni-signed surprises. For the most gluttonous adults, there’re instead the Piemonte eggs, with the finest Caffarel chocolate combined with the most excellent hazelnuts, in three unmissable versions: milk chocolate with a Gianduia cover, dark chocolate and white chocolate with salted almonds. For all the family, there’s also the unmissable Colomba Paradiso, the 2018 Caffarel novelty: a soft pastry realized with fresh eggs, butter and flour, covered with a dash of powdered sugar.