The Wild Sides of Easter You’ve Never Known Before

Colored eggs. A giant bunny rabbit that somehow isn’t considered at all creepy. A hidden basket of treats. You probably think you already know what Easter is all about – but think again. In some countries, the Easter season involves witches, water fights, or an exploding snowman. In honor of the upcoming holiday, I explored weird, little-known Easter traditions from around the world. 

Let’s see what more there is to Easter!

Sweden & Finland: Easter Witches 

Thought witches were just for Halloween? 

Not in Scandinavia! In Sweden and some parts of Finland, kids don old clothes, colorful scarves, and paint their faces with freckles before doing something eerily similar to Trick-or-treating. 

However, instead of ringing the bell and expecting candy in return, kids in these nordic countries have to work for their treats by exchanging homemade Easter cards or drawings for sweets. 

This cute tradition comes with a not-so-cute backstory: during the middle ages, witchcraft was a real concern–so much so that women were routinely tortured to death on witchcraft charges. 

Legend had it that all the witches would fly off to a place called Blåkulla to feast with the devil every year on the Thursday before Easter, then they would come home on Easter Sunday. During this time window, people used to try to prevent the witches from traveling to Blåkulla by securing their doors and dampers so that the witches couldn’t escape. Even barn doors were secured so that witches could not ride any animals, and any tools that might be able to aid them in their journeys were locked away. 

Large fires were also lit in order to scare witches away. These fires were also sometimes used during witchcraft trials. 

Today, the tradition of torturing innocent women has evolved into a whimsical ritual in which everyone gets to eat sweets. Yay! 

Above: Easter witches! These witches are really not scary. Image by Kristina R. Gaddy. Taken from https://www.kristinagaddy.com/blog/happy-easter-time-to-dress-up-like-a-witch

Switzerland: The Burning of the Böögg 

Swiss people are typically stereotyped as being straight-laced, punctual, and a bit uptight–but not on the third Monday of April every year. In Zurich, Switzerland, this day is marked by a spring festival with its roots in the carnival season preceding Easter. 

During this festival, you’ll find something most peculiar: a figure that looks somewhat like a snowman, but not from snow, and he’s stuffed with something. 

With what?!

With explosives! 

This figure is then set on fire, and the crowd waits with bated breath for his head to explode. The rapidity and strength of the explosion is said to predict the quality of the upcoming summer, with a faster explosion indicating a more pleasant summer.

The böögg (bogey in English) that is burned is a representation of a masked character who was said to roam around causing mischief and scaring children during the carnival season leading up to Easter, and the burning a rag doll effigy of him is a longstanding tradition in Switzerland. The exploding head part is a fun modern innovation. 

Above: The burning bogey. Creepy, eh? Image by Fantastic Switzerland. Taken from https://fantasticswitzerland.org/f/burn-fast-please-burn-faster-%E2%80%93-the-tradition-of-sechsel%C3%A4uten-fes.

Hungary: Easter ‘Perfume Sprinkling’

While the Swiss are blowing up innocent snowmen and the Scandanavians are reminiscing about the persecution of innocent women, Hungarians are having a blast engaging in a more flirtatious ritual. 

Back in the day, men used to throw buckets of cold water on women; this was considered a symbol of purification and fertility. Girls, the old adage goes, are flowers; they must be sprinkled with water in order to grow strong and blossom. 

Nowadays, the tradition has become somewhat less messy: boys spray the girls with cologne, perfume, or scented water, instead (although some may still partake in the older, messier version). 

Hungarian dudes do this when they visit the houses of their female friends or relatives at Easter time, and they recite some short rhyming verses first. After the recitations, they ask the women permission to ‘sprinkle’ them. If granted permission, they spray their perfume or water, and then the women reward the men with some colored eggs, sweets, or local fruit brandy. 

This tradition is remarkably similar to an Easter tradition in the Czech Republic, in which men recite verses and then beat women with branches, or in some regions, throw water on them. Central Europeans sure do like to make Easter an excuse to flirt! 

Of course, these traditions have also come under scrutiny in recent years, as some may view them as degrading to women. Personally, I think they sound like good, old-fashioned fun–but I didn’t grow up with them. For those who find the ‘sprinkling’ tradition uncomfortable, there’s always the option to decline permission to sprinkle or not to answer the door. 

Image by Attila Kisbenedek. Taken from https://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/04/17/happy-sprinkle-day

There you have it; there sure is more to Easter than meets the eye. If you’re celebrating Easter at home this year, try changing it up with a water fight, witchy theme, or even an exploding snowman. Want to learn more about weird, quirky springtime holidays? Check out the Halloween you’ve never heard of and the festival of colors.