If you dip a hardboiled egg in vinegar and food coloring in the middle of December, is it still an Easter egg? Why do we hide them, paint them, and eat them—even when the coloring has leaked through to the egg? The Easter egg is one of those widely accepted Easter traditions that seem to have nothing to do with God, Jesus, the resurrection, or any religious meaning at all.
Before there was an Easter, or even Christianity, or even Christ, there was an “Easter egg.” The Passover Seder revolved around a hard boiled egg, which was then saturated in sea water to flavor it with salt as a customary symbol of fertility and servitude to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Some people attribute the Easter traditions we celebrate to Paganism and their rites of passage and rebirth in the spring. Others remark that it was Mary Magdalene who presented the first Easter egg after Christ’s resurrection, painting it red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Either way, the egg represents life, new beginnings, and the ability to break free from a living death to become a spirit of wholeness and honor. The egg itself has always held a place of honor among Jews, and for as much as we take it for granted in our modern everyday lives, it remains a symbol of life. All life starts with an egg.
The Meaning of the Easter Egg for Children
This may all be a little heavy for your three-year-old, who is running around in search of the elusive twelfth egg. But the tradition itself carries meaning for children, often without needing explanation. Children are naturally inclined to make annual announcements, such as, “Next Easter I am going to…” or “By next Christmas…” as methods of estimating time. As one holiday or special event comes to a close, a new one opens up to them. They make these assumptions quickly and conveniently, and often even have the follow-through to remember by the next holiday. This is because holidays and birthdays are natural time markers for children.
Of course, they are uniquely unaware of their wisdom as they run around hunting down the brightly colored eggs they so delicately (or not so delicately) painted with anticipation. They are simply having fun, whether gathering at their own pace at Grandma’s house or participating in a contest. Easter eggs bring children great joy and encourage their imagination.
A creative inventor came up with an Easter egg that emits sounds, allowing visually impaired children around the world to participate in this timeless tradition. In fact, there are Easter egg creations for the visually impaired, the physically disabled, and those with mobility challenges. Some designs are as simple as a Velcro or sticky backing, allowing the Easter bunny to hang the eggs at a higher level.
Easter eggs have naturally developed into more tasty forms, including chocolate, candy-filled plastic versions, and even a deep-fried chocolate variety for those who simply haven’t consumed enough saturated fat at Easter dinner. Easter egg games encourage both tradition and contemporary mediums. Easter baskets, filled to the brim with colorful eggs, tasty sweets, and the occasional stuffed creature, are a universal symbol of childhood Easter Sunday bliss.
So, if you dip a hardboiled egg in vinegar and food coloring in the middle of December, is it still an Easter egg? The representation of life, new beginnings, and rebirth is not confined to any specific day of the year. These emotions, inspirations, and natural occurrences in our daily lives are a gift, regardless of the time of year the calendar dictates. Thus, an Easter egg is an Easter egg all year long. And if you break out the Easter egg coloring kit two weeks before Christmas, you may get a unique opportunity to explain to your children what an Easter egg really means. There will come a day when they are too old to run around the backyard in their special little brand-new Easter outfits, tracking the Easter bunny. But they will never be too old for a new beginning, rebirth, or the affirmation of the glory of life.
