Easter Lily
The white lily has long been associated with Easter, not only because its color traditionally symbolizes purity and joy, but also because two of its morphological features make it a suitable emblem of the resurrection of Christ.  Its petal flare out like the bell of a trumpet, suggesting the angel Gabriel's awakening horn. And because it is a bulb it is "buried" and "reborn," thus making it a perfect floral correlate to the death and rebirth of the Savior. 

 

Children born on Easter Day are deemed especially fortunate.

  
Easter Egg

The Easter egg is venerable indeed. While the gaily colored cardboard ones and rich chocolate ones that we enjoy are quite recent in origin, the real egg, decorated with colors or gilt, has been acknowledged as
a symbol of continuing life and resurrection since pre-Christian spring celebrations. Given as gifts by the ancient Greeks, Persians, and Chinese at their spring festivals, the egg also appears in pagan mythology, where we read of the Sun-Bird being hatched from the World Egg. in some pagan customs, the Heaven and Earth were thought to have been formed from two halves of an egg. As the egg was an obvious symbol to early Christians of Jesus' Resurrection, it was felt to be a most appropriate and holy part of the Eastertide celebration.

Even as early as the Middle Ages, eggs were colored to be given as gifts at Easter; Edward I's accounts for 1290 include the expense of purchasing hundreds of eggs to be distributed to his household. in the 17th century,pope Paul V blessed the humble egg in a prayer to be used in England, Scotland, and Ireland: "Bless, O Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance to Thy faithful servants, eating in thankfulness to Thee, on account of the Resurrection of Our Lord.
" Forbidden during the solemn fast of Lent, eggs were reintroduced on Easter Sunday, both as part of the feasting and as gifts for family, friends, and servants.

 
Rabbit (Bunny)

The Easter rabbit has become as traditional at Easter time as the Easter egg. Like the egg, the hare or rabbit was a symbol of fertility and new life among the Egyptians and other ancient peoples. How the rabbit became associated with Easter and Easter eggs is unclear, but it may have been intended to symbolize the fertile life that the risen Christ would send His followers. In any case,the Easter rabbit has had a long history in European folklore. Modern Easter rabbits are often stuffed toys or made of candy; especially popular are chocolate bunnies.

 
Holy Water saved from the Easter service is said to be particularly effective as a cure for a wide range of physical ills.

  
Easter Clothes and Bonnets
( Theory One)

Perhaps one of the most popular Easter customs in the United States is that of wearing new clothes on Easter Sunday. In New York City many people display their new outfits as they stroll along Fifth Avenue in the famous Easter Parade, which is duplicated on a smaller scale in many other communities.

The custom originated within the Church hundreds of years ago, when those who were baptized on Holy Saturday were given new white robes to wear. Other members of the congregation, recalling their earlier participation in the ceremony of baptism, also put on new garments in memory of the occasion.
(Theory Two)
The practice originated in the habit of wearing the same set of clothes throughout LENT, finally discarding them for a new set on Easter Day itself. It is said those that do not wear at least one new item of clothing on Easter Day risk their existing clothing being soiled by birds or, worse, being spat upon by passing DOGS or having their eyes pecked out by CROWS.

 
THE CROSS

The cross, which is the most familiar and universal symbol of Christianity and the Crucifixion, is particularly associated with
the Easter season. The cross is commonly seen in religious art, in the
architectural details of churches, on the liturgical objects used during church services,and on altar cloths and clerical vestments. It also appears in floral displays specially designed for the Easter season and on Easter greeting cards.

 
It is claimed if a wind blows on Easter Day it will continue to blow throughout the year, while a shower or rain  that day promises a good crop of grass, but little hay.

  
Superstition has it that the sun dances as it appears on Easter morning to celebrate Christ's resurrection.  If looked at through a darkened lens, it is said that on Easter morning the sun bears the imprint of a LAMB and FLAG, two images that have symbolic associations in Christian mythology.
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This page was created by ©Nettie March 2001.
Trailing script came from Dynamicdrive
Source of information used for this page came from the following
two sources Curious Customs by Tuleia and Cassell's Dictionary
of Superstitions.