| It's hard to imagine Easter without Easter | | | | of the moon was always significant in |
| baskets. Traditionally, these are filled with | | | | determining when to plant seeds. |
| candy treats such as chocolates and jelly | | | | |
| beans, usually in the shape of an egg. There | | | | The tradition of Easter gift baskets is |
| may also be hollow plastic eggs with coins or | | | | really most closely connected to Western |
| other treats inside. But did you ever wonder | | | | Christianity, however. In the Roman Catholic |
| where the whole idea of baskets on Easter | | | | Church, Easter is only part of an entire |
| came from in the first place? | | | | season of rituals and observances that begin |
| | | | forty-six days prior to Easter itself. Many |
| Like the Easter holiday itself, the basket is | | | | who have experienced the revelry of Mardi |
| the result of the confluence of several | | | | Gras or Carnivale don't realize that the "Fat |
| traditions from different cultures. Some of | | | | Tuesday" celebration represents a last chance |
| these stem from the Judeo-Christian | | | | to party before entering that period called |
| tradition; others date back to pagan customs. | | | | Lent - when the devout are expected to fast |
| | | | and give up meat, eggs and dairy. Lent ends |
| In ancient Europe, the vernal or spring | | | | on Easter, hence the tradition of a large, |
| equinox was a significant time. In the | | | | sumptuous family meal. At one time, it was a |
| original home of the Indo-Aryan peoples - | | | | tradition for Roman Catholic families to |
| ancestors of most of the ethnic and | | | | carry the food for Easter dinner to Mass in a |
| linguistic groups of Europe as well as | | | | basket, where it could be blessed by the |
| Armenia, Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan and | | | | priest - harking back to the ancient |
| India - winters were long and bitter. Spring | | | | tradition of bringing first crops and |
| was considered a time of renewal and rebirth. | | | | seedlings to the temple. |
| | | | |
| Among Semitic-speaking peoples of the ancient | | | | German immigrants to the U.S. contributed |
| Middle East - who include the Hebrews, Arabs, | | | | their own customs. "Pennsylvania Dutch" |
| Babylonians, Assyrians and others - it was a | | | | children eagerly awaited the Osterhase to |
| tradition to bring the first seedlings of the | | | | deliver eggs on Easter Sunday, which he would |
| growing season to the temples in order to | | | | deposit on his "rabbit's nest" - hence the |
| insure a successful harvest. This connection | | | | tradition of lining Easter gift baskets with |
| to agriculture is also reflected in the | | | | grass (or more commonly today, artificial |
| holiday's relationship to the cycles of the | | | | decorative grass). |
| moon; it is always held on the Sunday (day of | | | | |
| Sol Invictus, or the "Unconquerable Sun") | | | | Although considered a religious holiday, |
| following the first full moon after the | | | | Easter is really a universal expression of |
| spring equinox. To early farmers, the phase | | | | renewal and new beginnings. |