I love chocolate and I love Easter. If I were to be honest, the two loves are most likely not mutually exclusive.

Easter is the only time of year where you can buy the equivalent of a family block of chocolate shaped like an egg and devour it like a snake over the space of one weekend without feeling guilty.

But there is so much more to Easter than just chocolate! There’s the religious aspect, obviously, if you’re into that. And if not, well there are many traditional games and activities you can pick up from different cultures and play with your family for fun. You don’t have to be a believer to rejoice on Easter Sunday.

So here are some ideas from around the world to inspire some laughter and creativity in your house this Easter:

Greece

In Greek culture it is traditional to dye a whole stack of boiled eggs red (you can pick up the dye at most delis in the lead-up to Easter).

The eggs are then placed on a table round the family and each person takes an egg and challenges another person to an egg-cracking showdown.

One person holds their egg upright while the challenger whacks their upright egg down on it. Whoever has the intact egg wins and can continue on to the next challenge.

Weirdly, only ever one egg cracks so rest assured there will be no fights on that front. Whoever is left with an intact egg will be assured good luck for the rest of the year. And a boiled egg salad for lunch!

Germany

In Germany children traditionally painted hulled out raw eggs and hung them with string on little bushes still bare from the winter.

These days, most parents go for the less fiddly route of plastic or Styrofoam eggs from a craft store and some water-based paint. You can also add stickers if you like and hang the eggs by ribbons to add a bit of colour.

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Switzerland

The Swiss add a new element by throwing the prospect of extra pocket money into the mix.

The children paint egg shells and then the adults have to throw coins at the egg from an agreed distance. If the adult misses and/or the egg stays intact, then the child gets to keep the coin. If you as the adult hit the egg, then you get to keep the coin.

Sweden

In Sweden children dress up as old witches and hags, painting their faces and carrying brooms.

They knock on the doors of neighbours to ask for treats or small gifts.

You might need to organise this one a bit beforehand with your neighbours otherwise they might wonder if they missed Halloween!

United States

American families celebrate Easter Sunday by decorating a hard-boiled egg, then line them up on a lawn and arm themselves with a stick (golf club, broom, bat etc.).

When the umpire says “go!” then each player taps their egg towards a finish line. The first one to get an intact egg over the line wins the race. Think of it as a kind of egg croquet.

Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Do you have any Easter traditions in your family? Please share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

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