Decorating Easter eggs is a common Easter tradition that many families enjoy, but have you ever thought about why we do it? It is quite a strange tradition and it is not clearly linked to the holiday season. So, what are the significance of eggs at this time of the year and why do we decorate Easter eggs?

Eggs at Easter

First, it is helpful to look at why eggs play such a significant role in Easter celebrations. This is actually for a few reasons, namely that eggs symbolise life and birth representing Jesus’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. This is why people get chocolate Easter eggs delivered at this time of the year, partake in Easter egg hunts and paint eggshells. That’s not why we do it, but with all the baby wildlife around this time of year, Easter does always feel like a time of births and fresh starts.

The Tradition of Decorating Eggshells

The tradition of decorating eggshells is one that is ancient and it is not entirely clear where it originated from, but it is practised in both Eastern Orthodox and Western Churches dating back as far as the middle ages. During the Holy Week, the Church prohibited the eating of eggs which led to the eggs that were being laid by chickens during that week being used for decorating. In the Orthodox tradition, eggs were painted red to symbolise the blood that was shed by Jesus during the crucifixion.

How Do You Decorate an Egg?

Decorating eggs can be a fun tradition and a chance to be creative. To decorate the eggs, you will want to empty the shells first (or risk a messy disaster!). You can do this without breaking the shell by carefully piercing the egg at one end with a pin and then sticking a cocktail stick in the egg and twisting it (to break the yolk). You can then hold the egg over a bowl and use an aspirator (or a straw) to pump air into the top of the egg through another hole – this should push the egg into the bowl (this could then be used for cooking or baking). You should then fill the empty shell with soapy water and leave it to drain before using.

Design Ideas

One of the great things about decorating Easter eggs is that there are many ways to decorate the egg and it is a chance to be creative. A few good ideas include using glitter to decorate the egg, painting your name on the shell and/or painting Easter-related images on the eggshell.

Hopefully, this post will clear a few things up and inspire you to get decorating this Easter!