For me, Easter means the time of the greatest of joys, the time of new life and new hopes, the time of (nature) awakening, possibly new decisions, positive thinking and beautiful traditions that confirm where I come from and who I am. It is like that for most people in Croatia; an opportunity to gather the family and remember that love keeps us together. It is like that in every country celebrating Christianity and every country has its own special “little” things of culture and tradition that make is distinct.
One of the things that mark Croatian Easter tradition is definitely home made dyed eggs. In Croatia, they are called pisanice (literally translated into English: written upon). This Slavic egg decorating custom dates back to pagan times. Almost every home has their own home-dyed eggs and when visiting your friend’s or family house during Easter time, it’s tradition to bring some of your home made dyed eggs. Then they are exchanged and brought home as a souvenir from every visit.
On Easter day, a traditional game is played in which at least two people choose eggs and hold them vertically while one person lightly taps the end of the other egg with their end, to see whose will crack. Anyone whose egg cracks must choose another and then tap the other person’s egg, and they continue until all the eggs have been used and cracked but the last one. Whoever holds the strongest egg in the end, which has not been cracked, wins.
Eggs are a symbol of spring awakening and new beginnings, new life. The most popular “old-fashioned” way to dye eggs is to boil a pot of water together with a lot of red onion skins, which will give the eggs orange/red colour. The next step is to take each egg and put a clover or parsley leaf on its surface. Here’s where it gets interesting: you secure the leaf not by gluing it to the egg, but by putting everything into nylon tights. You put everything into a pot of boiling water with onion skins and cook. The tights not only secure leaves, but also let the water colour the eggs. Or, if you want striations on eggs then wrap onion skins around the raw egg held by elastic band or kitchen twine before dropping the room-temperature raw egg into boiling water. When they’re done, let them cool, remove the tights and leaves and you’ll get a red egg with leaf print on it; or striations if you boiled them with onion skins tied to them. It’s quite decorative and the process is fun. Another traditional way of decorating Easter eggs is to use hot liquid wax and pencil-like instruments. You need to make sure that eggs are clean and dry. You take wax and melt it, dip your pen into the melted wax and draw different patterns on eggshells. Then you cook them in coloured water- the wax will melt and leave beautiful designs, while the rest of eggs will be coloured. In the end, polish it with some vegetable oil, the colour will be nice and shiny.
And then, of course, there are those absolutely beautiful Croatian giant Easter eggs that adorn city squares in Croatia and museums throughout Europe – these works of art are always the product of groups of Croatian naïve artists and usually depict cultural, environmental and religious parts of local life.
One of the joyous Easter traditions (especially for children) is egg hunt on the Easter morning. Parents tell the children a rabbit tale: the story of the Easter rabbit who leaves eggs in the garden and chocolates for children. Every Easter morning, they search for eggs and chocolate presents, all excited.
As far as the food is concerned, traditionally ham and eggs are eaten, with radishes, spring onions and horseradish sauce. The day before Easter, Roman Christians go to a late night mass carrying a basket of traditional food (bread, ham, eggs). During the mass, priests bless the food, which are kept for the next morning to eat. An Easter Sunday would not be complete in Croatia without the special, exquisitely tasting Easter cake or Easter bread – a tasty reward after the season of Lent, penance and going without ones favourite or chosen treats as form of fasting.
Happy Easter Everyone! Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)
Happy Easter! Loved your post. I am orthodox, and this year the Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on 1st of May. These day my heart is with all my Christians brothers and sisters, who celebrate Easter.
Thank you Ana, yes Orthodox Easter is also celebrated in a big way, which warms my heart too as we all get to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ more than once.
Wow those giant eggs are stunningly beautiful. Happy Easter
They are Andy – absolutely stunning pieces of art. New ones come out every year as groups of naive artists across Croatia complete the joint project of one giant egg per artist “colony” – I am particularly happy knowing they don’t go into dark storage after Easter season but into museums and various displays throughout Europe.
Yes , right they definitely deserve to be in a gallery or museum. Its good to see that real talent is burning strong around the world.
Easter is about goodness so this fills it 🙂
Happy Easter and thanks for this beautiful post with its wonderful pictures! 🙂
Happy Easter Christoph – the pictures are such a pleasure to me also 🙂
Your pisanice are lovely. We used to have dyed eggs for breakfast at Easter, my mother used cake colouring in the water, but they were plain. The process you describe does sound fun.
Easter should be fun, fun, fun and so the eggs too 🙂
Happy Easter
Dear Ina
Always
john
You too John – much cheer and happiness 🙂
Happy Easter Ina. Since your post is by far the best I have seen so far, and certainly better than anything I could produce, allow me please to share it in Croatia any beyond. Happy Easter to family & friends and friends of family & friends wherever you may be on the globe.
Thank you Vlado – never enough spreading of joy 🙂 Happy Easter!
You do beat all with this post, Ina – I am mesmerised by these Giant PISANICE year in and year out. Croatia has given some of the world’s best naive artists! Happy Easter! Sretan Uskrs!
Happy Easter! Sretan Uskrs! Wilkinson
Sretan Uskrs Ina! Great post!
Sretan Uskrs! Anna thank you 🙂
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter – YellowCable 😀
And so Easter should be colorful, plentiful, joyful…love the way it is in Croatia! Happy Easter!
Indeed, Marshon – it should be sand is. Have a happy one!
Tempted to visit Croatia now 😀
A very very Happy Easter, Warmest Wishes my friend! 🙂
A must for you list my friend 🙂 Happy Easter season
Ina hvala za ove prelijepe slike i čestitku za Uskrs.
Pozdrav iz Švicarske i naravno, sretan Uskrs i tebi.
Translation of Marjan’s comment: ina thank you for these lovely pictures and good wishes for Easter. Regards from Switzerland and, of course, happy Easter to you too.
REPLY: Hvala Marjane i Vama sve najbolje s puno veselja. Thank you Marjan all the best with lots of happiness to you too.
how nice to know the history of the egg tradition, when asked in the past, I never knew where and the why of the tradition.. I like it.
We grow ever day even if by a small detail, Dymoon – much happiness and joy in all you do
Happy Easter
Happy Easter, Sanjeet
Blissful traditions ,Happy Easter.
Cheers and all the best, Jalal
Cheers.
😀
Happy Easter Ina.
Same to you Mary – much happiness
Happy holiday, Ina
Too you too, Graham – lots of goodness and happiness
Thanks for this cultural post on Croatian Easter customs. 🙂 For us in the US, Easter customs include attending church, egg hunts and baskets for kids, candy, and going out for brunch or dinner.
I think Easter was on the same date for Catholics and Orthodox Christians a year or so ago.
To one and all: Joyeux Paques! Happy Easter!
Happy Easter Elisa :0
Happy Easter.
Christ is Risen!
Happy Easter Clare
Beautiful post and nice to learn about traditions in Croatia, dear Ina… Happy Easter 🐰🐣 best wishes. Aquileana
Cheers and Happy Easter Aquileana
The Giant Eggs are amazing Ina.Great Traditions.
Have a Happy Down Under Easter
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Cheers David and Happy Easter – again 🙂
Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych
Happy Easter
Happy Easter Marko
What a beautiful post. I enjoyed seeing the photographs of your traditions. Happy Easter!
Thank you Timelesslady – Happy Easter 🙂
Paste Fericit Ina ! 🙂
Hapyy Easter ! 🙂
https://youtu.be/8ASNriauChY
Aliosa.
Happy Easter, Aliosa – what a nice video – gentle and happy 🙂
I’ve never seen giant eggs like that! Beautiful! Have an egg-celent Easter!
Happy Easter Richard 😀 😀 😀
Happy Easter to all. Enjoy the celebration.
You too, Sunman – best times 🙂
Beautiful eggs! I particularly love the wax designs. And the bread, yum.
Cheers Luanne 🙂
What a delightful Post Ina.. Such beautiful artistry in those egg paintings.. A wonderful tradition.. May we each hope for New Life and New Beginnings to Spring forward in Peace throughout our world..
Sending love and Joy to you Ina.. many thanks for sharing these traditions with us..
And I hope you enjoyed a very Happy Easter
Love Sue <3
Thank you Sue, hope you Easter season is great and happy – I love looking and examining the art on those eggs – such mastery 🙂
Yes such talent out there xxx Love the Giant smiley
Hard to beat it 😀
Prelepo stvarno, slicno je kao i kod nas u Srbiji. 🙂
Volim Usks jako, moja porodica i ja slavimo oba Uskrsa!
Pozdrav <3
Translation of comment by Dajana:Truly beautiful and similar to what we have in Serbia. I love Easter a lot, my family and I celebrate both. Regards
REPLY: Many similarities, indeed, Dajana 🙂
Beautiful post with meaningful thoughts, Ina. God bless you and your family. <3
God bless and thank you Robin <3
They are stunning. Love the natural ways of dyeing and enjoyed the history – as always.
Thank you and cheers, Diana – many hugs too <3
Stunning post. Thanks for your continued support.
You’re so welcome and thank you 🙂
Wow, so many beautiful easter eggs. Love the giant croatian easter eggs and yes easter eggs symbolizes awakenings and new beginnings, so true. Thanks for sharing all these infos.
Cheers Joel 🙂
Reblogged this on Arlin Report and commented:
Great article!
Thank you for the reblog Arlin 🙂
You’re welcome
wow 😀 https://cicakompong.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/tips-membuat-telur-rebus-kuning-dan-putih-telur-jadi-satu-kayak-begini/
Welcome on board ………… Thank you for following my blog, Ina. Thank you also for your warm support. Jo
Thank you, Joe – Cheers to you too 🙂
For Easter, I gave my nieces a kit for dying eggs and reading your post reminded me of it! Lovely to learn more about the Croatian Easter traditions 🙂 I hope you had a wonderful day!
Thank you Christy – lovely to hear. Hugs 🙂
Is there something that is said when 2 people break eggs together in Croation?
Happy Easter Ina just added this fabulous post to friends news such wonderful customs you have in your country makes us in the UK who rely on shops selling the customary chocolate egg look so lame – I travelled abroad and saw a number of countries but learn more from bloggers like you about futons than ever before … Thanks Ian short link to your post here God Bless .. http://wp.me/p4NphM-2iX
Thank you Ian and God bless – hope your Easter Sunday was good and happy. Cheers forward too 🙂
It was a good and rewarding day hope your day goes as well .. 🌹
It did thanks Ian – cheers