History of Easter
Easter is one of the holidays that are inseparably linked to Christianity and the Christian tradition. However, to a side observer, the connection between the resurrection of Jesus and the search for eggs carried in a basket by a bunny might seem somewhat unclear, which calls for returning to the roots of the Easter tradition. The food-related aspects of Easter are particularly worthy of consideration due to the lack of an obvious logical connection between the Biblical concept of Easter and its food tradition.
Breaking down the anthropological history of Easter is quite difficult due to the religious narrative that is connected inseparably with its very essence. However, given the fact that a significant portion of the human culture is built on the foundation of some semblance of religious beliefs or, at the very least, philosophic postulates, disconnecting the history of any tradition as foundational as Easter is impossible without examining the religious component.
Based on the current accounts of their research, the concept of Easter was founded on the tradition celebrating Easter, the goddess of spring, and the revival of nature (Fieldhouse, 2017). Afterward, the Jewish festival of Passover was created, aimed at celebrating the fight of Jewish people against oppression and supporting their religious beliefs (Fieldhouse, 2017). Finally, the Christian church accepted the tradition of the Passover since it was celebrated by Jesus, according to the Bible (Fieldhouse, 2017). This tradition continues to change due to globalization and immigration, with every new community adding a unique touch to the traditions of Easter.
Easter Food
In the contemporary Christian tradition, particularly, in its popular form, Easter evokes the image of a bunny carrying a basketful of eggs. Although one might consider the specified image to be a later addition to the Easter tradition since the latter is typically associated with Christian beliefs in an average member of the modern global community, the connection between Easter and rabbits, as well as eggs, is much older and more nuanced. In fact, eggs as the crucial Easter food are believed to have appeared before Easter was incorporated into the Christian tradition.
The reasoning behind the specified statement is quite easy to understand. According to the existing theory, an egg as the embodiment of life at its conception stage is highly representative of the initial meaning that Easter was supposed to have, namely, that one of rebirth and revival after experiencing the challenges of winter (Montanari, 2015). Therefore using eggs as the symbolic food that was supposed to guide people toward the beginning of a new chapter in their life and the beginning of a new year was a vital metaphor that represented an essential cultural tradition.
Remarkably, while being the first food item associated with Easter, eggs are not the only element of the Easter menu. While other dishes may vary depending on the area and its culture-specific approach to celebrating the holiday, the general idea of the food represented during Easter is a cornucopia of dishes and tasty experiences (Montanari, 2015). Indeed, the cultural tradition of Easter implies that the food cooked to celebrate it is highly varied and is served in very large amounts (Montanari, 2015). To examine eh roots of the described tradition, one will have to revert to the assessment of its anthropological aspects, namely, the history of the holiday. As stated above, the Easter tradition dates back to the pre-Christian times and pagan celebrations, namely, the holidays associated with food and crops. Consequently, it is only logical to suggest that the festival of a spring revival should feature a variety of different dishes and types of food as the sign of a new year and new hope for more copious amounts of food for all community members to enjoy.
As for the preparation of the described types of food, one should mention that the eggs, which nowadays symbolize the Easter for Catholic communities, are not only hard-boiled but also decorated in every fashion possible. Painting them different colors as the most typical way of decorating them, yet other approaches toward their design also exist, which can be attributed to immigration and globalization as well. Similarly to the way in which Easter traditions were brought to the United States, the current American community has been shaping its traditions of egg painting and other aspects of preparing food due to the impact of immigrant cultures and globalization (Kristbergsson & Oliveira, 2016). For example, the role of bread appears to have increased in celebrating Easter due to the influence of Eastern European communities.
As for the rest of the food, it is not shaped or decorated in any specific fashion. Instead, the emphasis is placed on the symbolism that the specified types of food are supposed to evoke, namely, that one of a new and plentiful year. Likewise, the focus on creating different types of bread in other cultures as the means of celebrating Easter also harkens back to the idea of hope for a better year. A typical preparation of the specified type of food would involve baking t and shaping it as a tall round cake with decorations at the top. Traditionally, the top is covered with sprinkles.
Meaning
As emphasized above, most of the elements of the Easter are supposed to celebrate its original meaning, namely, that one of the emergence of spring and the revival from dark and cold winter. As a result, the meaning that the Easter and most of its attributes carry represent the corresponding ideas of revival and renewal, hence the Christian interpretation of the Easter. Thus, the foundational meaning of the key food representing the Easter, namely, eggs, has inherent and quiet obvious connections to the specified ideas. Indeed, eggs are supposed to represent life in its conception, which is why they serve as the main symbol of resurrection and revival. As a result, despite being rather basic and even prosaic food, eggs symbolize both the Christian idea of resurrection and the more ancient, pagan concept of revival after the cold and lifeless winter season.
Considering another traditional Easter meal, lamb and ham, one should also mention the importance of meat as a part of the Easter tradition. Similarly to eggs, both types of meat are supposed to be representative of the spring equinox in the pagan tradition (Miles, 2016). Therefore, their incorporation into the range of meals eaten during Easter allows one to reconnect with the Celtic and other ancient roots. In turn, from an older Christian perspective, the meat and especially the lamb can be interpreted as the embodiment of the sacrifice that Jesus made when dying for the humankind. Indeed, a lamb as the animal that represents innocence and fragility has already been incorporated into Christian symbolism, which allows connecting the Easter mal to the Biblical interpretation of Easter immediately.
Due to the combination of both pagan and Christian traditions, Easter food has a wide range of interpretations, which makes it culturally reach and imbued with profound meaning. Although eggs are typically associated with Easter most commonly, other types of food also incorporate a significant amount of symbolism, serving as the metaphor for rebirth and revival. As a result, Easter food represents a combination of cultures and traditions, allowing people of different cultural backgrounds to relate to the holiday in a unique way.
References
Fieldhouse, P. (2017). Food, feasts, and faith: An encyclopedia of food culture in world religions. ABC-Clio.
Kristbergsson, K., & Oliveira, J. (2016). Traditional foods. Springer Science+ Business Media.
Marett, R. R. (1912). Christmas in ritual and tradition, Christian and pagan. Xist Publishing.
Montanari, M. (2015). Medieval tastes: Food, cooking, and the table. Columbia University Press.