[Sca-cooks] Easter Observances

[Susan Lin]

Are you interested in other holidays you do not have listed here?  There are
lots of Jewish holidays/festivals that could be added but if that is not
your intent I will not add them.

Shoshanna

On Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 10:03 AM, Kingstaste <kingstaste at comcast.net> wrote:

> I have been collecting information about holiday celebrations and
> observations for many years.  A lot of it is random and unedited, but I am
> going to throw it out here to see if it rings any bells for anyone.  I am
> always interested to hear family traditions that either confirm or debunk
> what I've found.
>
>
>
> Christianna
>
>
>
>
> MAR 21
>
>
> Vernal Equinox, First Day of Spring
>
>
> Mothering Sunday* - Feudal Europe - On Laetare Sunday (mid-Lent) in spring,
> "fostered" children would go to visit their own families. A sweet cake
> called a "simnel"- named for simila=fine flour, plum cakes or cakes with
> almond paste baked inside were taken to their mothers.
>
> Origins in the Greek Goddess Cybele, the goddess of nature (whom the Greeks
> got from the Phrygians) and Roman festivities held to honor motherhood.
>
> England - In the 17th Century, Christians went once a year to pay their
> respects to the cathedral or mother church of their religion. The huge
> gatherings gave so many people a chance to have family reunions that they
> began to call it "going a-mothering", and they brought their mothers
> flowers
> and cakes for the occasion. The custom died out in the 18th cent. But
> American soldiers stationed in England during WWII, who observed the U.S.
> Mother's Day, reminded the English of their own tradition and contributed
> to
> its revival.
>
>
>
>
> MAR 27
>
>
> Ceremony of Washing - Ancient Rome - Traditional Spring Cleaning Day
>
>
>
> Vikrama Samvat * - Hindu -  The beginning of Spring, when the Goddess of
> Nature is bedecked as a divine bride.  A combination of bitter neem leaves
> and sweet jaggery is eaten, to signify conflicting aspects of human life:
> joy and sorrow, success and failure, ecstasy and agony.
>
>
>
> Holi* - Hindu - To celebrate the end of the spring harvest and the end of
> winter in India and, some people say, the time long ago when the evil witch
> Holika was burned, people light bonfires on the eve of Holi. The next day
> children and adults throw water and colored powders at each other. Soon
> everyone is covered with the colors of spring. It is a holiday of mirth and
> merriment.  Games depicting the pranks of the infant Krishna are played by
> boys singing and dancing.
>
>
>
> Festival of Ostara - Saxon - "Season of the Growing Sun".  A 2 day 'Coming
> of Spring' festival.
>
>
>
> Alp Aufzug* - Switzerland - "Ascent" marks the time when herdsmen lead
> their
> goats and cattle up to mountain pastures for the summer. Considered the
> beginning of spring, everyone wears bright costumes, decorate the best
> animals with flowers, and parade with the pails and cheese-making
> equipment.
>
>
>
>
> Sunday before Easter
>
> Palm Sunday* - Christian - Commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. People
> greeted Him by waving palm branches, and today many churches distribute and
> bless palms as part of the service.
>
> Pax Cakes Distribution* (16th Cent) Hereforshire, England - Under the will
> of Lady Scudomore, cakes and ale were presented to the congregation at the
> Palm Sunday service to promote peace and good fellowship.
>
>
>
> Seschselauten* - Switzerland - On the first day of Zurich's Spring
> Festival,
> The "Six O' Clock Ringing", there's a children's parade through town. On
> the
> second day, dressed in medieval costumes and carrying banners, members of
> the town's historic craft guilds march the same route. The tailors chase
> the
> children with huge scissors. The bakers hand out pastries. At 6pm when the
> bells chime, everyone gathers in the town square where the Boegg, a big
> white figure of winter stuffed with straw and firecrackers, goes up in a
> burst of flames.
>
>
>
> Ra-Ra* - Haiti - Every day between Palm Sunday and Easter groups of
> people-The Ra-Ra- come down from the hills to dance for money. Each dancer
> is dressed in a red shirt and carries a red flag. Some of them beat drums;
> some crack whips; some carry kerosene lanterns. As soon as the crowd sees
> the group's leader, they cry "Ra-Ra!" The dance celebrates spring but also
> mourns the death of Jesus. Throughout the 3 days before Easter the Ra-Ra
> dance intensely, and on Easter Sunday they stop.
>
>
>
> Maundy Thursday, Royal Maundy (14th Cent) Britain's oldest charity, it was
> started by Edward III.  Until 1689 the sovereign went to Westminster Abbey
> the day before Good Friday to wash the feet of the poor.  Since James II,
> special minted coins have been given out instead.
>
> Green Thursday - The Thursday before Easter, the day that Jesus washed the
> feet of the disciples.  In Czechoslovakia, "Judases"- cakes made to look
> like twisted ropes- are made and dipped in honey to suggest the fate of
> Judas on this day.  Honey is a preventative against disaster. On this day
> they also bake a lamb-shaped cake for the Lamb of God to be served on
> Easter
> Sunday.
>
>
>
> Good Friday* - Christian - Commemorates the day Jesus was convicted of
> treason against the Roman Empire and crucified. Many people observe the day
> with solemn services or processions that reenact Jesus' walk to His death,
> carrying his own cross. Supposedly on His way to Golgotha, He stopped at
> the
> door of a woman who was baking and asked for bread.  She thought he was
> just
> a poor misfortunate sentenced to die, so she brought him in and gave him
> bread and water.  Legend says He has blessed all women who bake on Good
> Friday.
>
> Hot Cross Buns - traditionally associated with Good Friday.  Early
> Egyptians
> offered their moon goddess cakes marked with horns symbolic of the horned
> ox
> they sacrificed at the altar. Early Greeks presented horn-inscribed cakes
> to
> Astarte and other deities.   The Romans ate cross-bread at sacrificial
> feasts, and the Saxons inscribed loaves with a cross in honor of Eostre,
> the
> goddess of light (See Easter).
>
> Marble Championship - Tinsley Green, Sussex, England - In 1600 two rivals
> dueled over a lover with a game of marbles.  Since then, there has been a
> marbles championship held in their memory.
>
> Bermuda - In the 19th century, a teacher who had trouble explaining Jesus'
> Ascension into heaven brought his class to the highest hill on the island,
> where he launched a kite with an image of Jesus. When the line ran out, he
> cut it, and children have flown kites on Good Friday ever since.
>
>
>
> Vigil of Easter* Many churches celebrate the day between Jesus' Crucifixion
> and His Resurrection, with an Easter vigil service. Worshipers reflect on
> His suffering and death. Mexico- many people make ugly effigy of Judas,
> stuff it with firecrackers, and hang it over a street. Then they ignite the
> evil Judas and he explodes. Children scramble for the candies and little
> gifts that spurt out of him.
>
> White Saturday - Czechoslovakia - is the favorite time to decorate the eggs
> that have been taken to church and blessed.
>
>
>
> Easter* - Christian - Celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene
> and some companions visited the tomb of Jesus, and the Angel of the Lord
> appeared and told them He was risen. Legend has it that the sun jumps for
> joy on Easter morning, so many churches have sunrise services. In the 8th
> century the Venerable Bede suggested that the word "Easter" may have come
> from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and
> fertility. Saxons ate cross-inscribed loaves in her honor.  Her symbol was
> a
> hare, which may explain the custom of the Easter hare, or rabbit, who
> brings
> Easter eggs. The egg may have become a special Easter symbol of rebirth
> because eggs were long one of the foods forbidden during Lent. The use of
> Easter Eggs among Christians came into use around 700 AD.  The tradition of
> coloring eggs probably began with medieval travelers to Egypt and Persia,
> where people colored eggs for their spring festivals.  Red eggs symbolized
> the Blood of Christ, a chicken meant the fulfillment of one's dreams, the
> sun presages good luck,  flowers for love and understanding, good health is
> assured by a deer or a stag, and prosperity by a pig.  In Lancastershire,
> England, the children participate in Pace-Egging, where they roll Easter
> eggs down a hill.  It was said to commemorate Christ's tomb stone rolling
> away from the crypt.   Norsemen also had the word Eostur, Eastur, Ostara,
> or
> Ostar, meaning season of the growing sun.  (This is the latest day on which
> Easter Sunday can occur.  The earliest day on which it can fall is March
> 22nd.)
>
> Lambri* - Greece - "Bright Day" is how Greeks describe Easter. The night
> before, all lights go out. At midnight, a priest enters holding a candle,
> proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ. His candle is used to light the
> candles every person holds. The church bells ring, ships sound their
> whistles, and firecrackers go off. Afterward, people celebrate with
> dancing,
> roast lamb, and Easter eggs, which Greeks dye red only.
>
>
>
>
>
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