The Origins of the Easter Egg Hunt

Christianity wasn’t the originator of the Easter Egg hunt

Running around with joyous young children fervently looking for a charmingly painted egg in the midst of a bright Spring day is the essence of life and renewal. If you’re feeling down and you see the expression of a young child finding a cleverly hidden egg, you’re almost guaranteed to smile. But, who has really taken the time to consider where this tradition originated and what the historical significance of it really is. You’ll be surprised just how fascinating a backstory there is to the Easter Egg hunt.

Christianity wasn’t the originator of the Easter Egg hunt, it actually comes from an earlier time. Essentially the egg is a symbol of rebirth and renewal. There is an Iranian tradition that goes back thousands and thousands of years called “Nowruz” which is the new year celebration. At that time, the Iranians decorated eggs as a celebration of their new year.

The Christian background of the Easter Egg comes more from the Pagan tradition of the “Norseman’s Eostur” which refers to the Pagan Goddess Eostre. Her spiritual relevance involves Springtime and the recognition of a season of growing the sun and rebirth. In fact, painting Easter Eggs is more of an Orthodox and Eastern Catholic segments of the Catholic faith. The eggs were initially painted red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ, as understood by the Christian faith as the sacrament on the cross.

Who would have thought that an Easter Egg hunt tradition could have such a diverse background and so much meaning for so many various faiths and backgrounds?