ALT-1 The Origins of Easter Baskets
Every year on Easter morning, we expected a basket full of goodies. It was as much a part of Easter as lilies and Sunrise Service. Yet, we never once gave a thought as to where the idea for this wonderful basket came from.Most customs take a long time, centuries, in fact, to evolve. And, most customs, even those associated with religious holidays, are at least, in part, related to more secular, and even pagan, roots. The Easter basket is no exception.While we associate the pastel colored baskets with spring, flowers, and Easter, we are unaware that baskets in general, were associated with spring even before the Christian era.Spring is the season of rebirth and a new beginning. To ancient peoples, this was a miraculous event, when the gods returned warmth and light to the world. It was also an opportunity for the people to thank them for their gifts, and to insure a good harvest and prosperous year by offering up gifts.Both eggs and rabbits were considered symbolic of this season, the eggs, because they contained new life, and the rabbit, probably because of it’s amazing reproductive properties in propagating new life.Supposedly, gifts of eggs, carried in baskets were brought to Oestre, the goddess of spring, to thank her for spring, and, to request her blessings for a good year and harvest.Later on, when Christianity came to the pagan lands, this tradition was pretty much forgotten, at least in the conscious minds of the converts. They did, however, begin the custom of taking their Easter foods to the Church to have it blessed. And, they carried this food to the Church in baskets.When the first German settlers came to America, they brought the basket tradition with them, and, the tradition of the eggs, which were eventually dyed in pastel colors to represent the flowers of spring.Easter baskets are big business today. Walk into any store at this time of year, and you will find them in any size, material, color and style. They have advanced way beyond the assorted eggs and chocolates to include anything and everything that children, and, adults, alike might be interested in.Kids today are probably no more concerned about the history of the Easter basket than we were, but they expect one. And, this somewhat secular part of Easter isn’t all that bad. In a season and on a holiday when we celebrate rebirth, renewal, spring, and Resurrection, flowers, eggs, and even baskets have a place.http://www.wyrdology.com/festivals/easter/basket.html
