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Eggs are traditionally seen as a symbol of new life. In India, Persia, China, Egypt and Greece, the old civilizations ate eggs during their spring festivals and used their shape in decorations to show fertility.
Today, children in France, Holland and England go from house to house asking for Easter eggs, similar to our custom of Halloween trick-or-treating.
In the Russian Orthodox church, eggs are blessed at church during Easter time and are a special breakfast on Easter morning.
German children are given small presents which are hidden inside imitation Easter eggs.
The Chinese are the first people who painted eggs. During Spring Festivals almost 3000 years ago, they exchanged red eggs as part of their celebration.
For information on pysanky, Ukrainian Easter Eggs, please see our Pysanky link.
SOURCES: Easter Handbook J394.26 W, p. 75
Easter J 394.26 Fox, p. 24.
UPDATED: 4/08/2006