Easter Basket History

X-mass Gift

It´s hard to imagine Easter without Easter baskets. Traditionally, these arefilled with candy treats such as chocolates and jelly beans, usually in theshape of an egg. There may also be hollow plastic eggs with coins or othertreats inside. But did you ever wonder where the whole idea of baskets on Eastercame from in the first place?

Like the Easter holiday itself, the basket is the result of the confluence ofseveral traditions from different cultures. Some of these stem from theJudeo-Christian tradition; others date back to pagan customs.

In ancient Europe, the vernal or spring equinox was a significant time. Inthe original home of the Indo-Aryan peoples - ancestors of most of the ethnicand linguistic groups of Europe as well as Armenia, Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistanand India - winters were long and bitter. Spring was considered a time ofrenewal and rebirth.

Among Semitic-speaking peoples of the ancient Middle East - who include theHebrews, Arabs, Babylonians, Assyrians and others - it was a tradition to bringthe first seedlings of the growing season to the temples in order to insure asuccessful harvest. This connection to agriculture is also reflected in theholiday´s relationship to the cycles of the moon; it is always held on theSunday (day of Sol Invictus, or the "Unconquerable Sun") following the firstfull moon after the spring equinox. To early farmers, the phase of the moon wasalways significant in determining when to plant seeds.

The tradition of Easter gift baskets is really most closely connected toWestern Christianity, however. In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter is only partof an entire season of rituals and observances that begin forty-six days priorto Easter itself. Many who have experienced the revelry of Mardi Gras orCarnivale don´t realize that the "Fat Tuesday" celebration represents a lastchance to party before entering that period called Lent - when the devout areexpected to fast and give up meat, eggs and dairy. Lent ends on Easter, hencethe tradition of a large, sumptuous family meal. At one time, it was a traditionfor Roman Catholic families to carry the food for Easter dinner to Mass in abasket, where it could be blessed by the priest - harking back to the ancienttradition of bringing first crops and seedlings to the temple. German immigrantsto the U.S. contributed their own customs. "Pennsylvania Dutch" children eagerlyawaited the Osterhase to deliver eggs on Easter Sunday, which he would depositon his "rabbit´s nest" - hence the tradition of lining Easter gift baskets withgrass (or more commonly today, artificial decorative grass).

Although considered a religious holiday, Easter is really a universalexpression of renewal and new beginnings.

Anne Harvester is a homemaker extraordinaire with years of experiencecreating spectacular events and gifts. See her favorite Gift baskets, Eastergift baskets, childrensEaster gift.