Easter Eggs – How and Why

Most of us color eggs for Easter, or we know we should, but we don’t because we are lazy. I, for one, started coloring eggs when my first son was big enough to mess up the kitchen. That messy little boy is 5 now, and he wants to know WHY? WHY? WHY? anything happens.

So WHY do we color eggs?

Originally, the Persians and the ancient Egyptians, exchanged colored eggs to celebrate the return of spring and used them as tokens of goodwill. Greeks, Egyptians and Romans colored eggs as part of their spring festivals.

As far as the direct Easter connection goes, there are two versions of the story concerning Mary Magdalene. According to one after Jesus’ death Mary Magdalene met Tiberius, held a plain egg in her hand and cried, “Christ is risen!” He laughed, and said that that his rising is as likely as the egg in her hand turning red. And it turned red, of course! Another version of this story says that Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary put a basket full of eggs at the foot of the cross and the eggs were painted red by the blood of the Christ and then Mary Magdalene took them to Tiberius.

I personally like the simplest explanation best, and that is one where eggs were ‘forbidden fruit’ during lent, so comes Easter they were a perfect treat, especially colored and decorated. Do you color eggs for Easter? Natural or store-bought dyes? Are you more traditional or you like unconventional solutions?

Here are some of our favorites: