1. Easter is on a different date every year. It’s the first Sunday after the full moon after the spring equinox. (This year Easter will be April 1.) Dates for Easter fall between March 22 and April 25.
2. The name Easter comes from Eostre (Ostara in German), a goddess of dawn and east.
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3. Eggs are the symbol of fertility and rebirth and have been exchanged in honor of spring for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Persians and Egyptians.
4. You can dye Easter eggs with red onion skins, beets, carrots, etc.
5. Hot cross buns come from cakes that were baked in honor of Eostre. Christians adopted the tradition, adding a cross on top and having the cakes blessed. English believed hanging a hot cross bun in the house would protect the home from fire and bring good luck.
What to do in San Antonio during Easter weekend, free egg hunts for kids
6. The symbolic bunny rabbit is associated with the fertility of spring and the goddess Eostre. The Easter Bunny character can trace its origins back to Germany where he was seen as a springtime Santa Claus who delivered treats to children. German kids would make nests for the Easter Bunny to leave eggs in, which eventually led to the modern day Easter basket.
7. Easter eggs were once used in lieu of birth certificates. Eggs would be dyed with a person’s name and date of birth and the courts legally accepted it.
8. Finding a double yolk egg on Easter is a sign of good luck.
9. Lore says if it rains on Easter morning it will rain for the next seven days.
10. In Sweden and Finland a mini celebration takes place either the Thursday or Saturday before Easter. Girls dress up in raggedy, oversize clothing and go door to door with a kettle looking for sweets. Folklore says witches would fly to a German mountain before Easter to dance with Satan. On their way back, Swedes would scare the witches away by lighting fires and setting off fireworks.