Easter is the most important festival in the Christian Church year. For us in the UK it starts with Maundy Thursday when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.
On Maundy
Thursday in Britain, the Queen takes part in a ceremony of the Royal Maundy, which was started by Richard I.
Maundy Money is given to deserving senior citizens (old people) that are chosen because they have done a good deed or service for the community.
They receive the coins in special red and white purses. The white purse has the coins and the red purse has money for the poor.
On Good Friday, the day Jesus died, many people go to mass. When people go to the church they wear their best clothes.
A traditional caked called a 'hot cross bun' is made on Good Friday. It is a bun with spices, currants and raisins inside and a white icing cross on top.
The cross is the symbol of Christianity.
There is a famous song that children sing about hot cross buns.
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha' penny, two ha' penny,
Hot cross buns!If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha' penny,
Two ha' penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
On Easter Sunday we go to mass again and we send some Easter cards which are often green or yellow and show baby animals because lots of animals are born in spring. We give our friends and family Easter Eggs. They used to be decorated eggs but now they are made of chocolate. Young children believe that the Easter Bunny hides the Easter Eggs. The British children hunt for Easter Eggs which are hidden around the house or in the garden by the 'Easter Bunny'.
For Easter, schools are on holiday for 2 weeks.
The traditional Easter meal is Roast lamb for dinner. It will be served with spring vegetables and potatoes, and gravy, a sauce made from the juices of the meat and stock.
Easter is a time when hat parades are very common.
Many schools and clubs have Easter Bonnet parades.
The children make their own hats and have a parade wearing their hats marching to music. They have prizes for the best hats. There are many Easter parades in Britain and the most popular one is in Battersea Park in London.
In some areas 'Egg Rolling' is very popular. People takes eggs to the top of a hill and roll them down and the first egg to reach the bottom is the winner.
In England, special springtime dances are performed. These are called Morris dances and it is a very old tradition. They wear very strange outfits with bells attached to their legs!
Easter Monday is a favourite day for funfairs with rides and roundabouts, the oldest is traditionally held on Hamstead Heath in London.
During Easter time, a special cake is made, called Simnel cake. It is a fruit cake covered in marzipan then toasted. On the top of the cake are eleven marzipan balls to represent the true disciples of Jesus, but Judas is not included. Sometimes Christ is also included by a ball in the middle of the cake.The cake is made from flour, sugar, butter, eggs, spices, dried fruit and zest and peel from the fruit.
It is Semana Santa next week. Last year I was in Madrid for Semana Santa and I enjoyed it very much, so I am very excited to see it here.
I love to tell people about Easter in Britain! Please tell me about Holy Week for you!
