Easter egg, sweet or dessert from Russia: what it is and how it is eaten

Easter eggs are eggs, often chicken eggs, that are dyed or decorated for the Christian festival of Easter. This custom is practiced across Central and Eastern Europe and many other regions, with eggs symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus and the end of Lent. Eggs may be hard-boiled, painted, or made of chocolate or sugar, and are exchanged, blessed, or used in games during Easter celebrations.

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Eggs are dyed red in Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions
Chocolate eggs and candy-filled plastic eggs are modern variations
Egg-tapping games are popular in many countries
Eggs are blessed in church and exchanged during Easter
Decorating eggs with onion skins creates a golden-brown colour

What is Easter egg?

Easter eggs are eggs, most often from chickens, that are decorated or dyed for Easter. The eggs may be coloured with natural dyes like onion skins or beet juice, or with artificial colours. In some places, eggs are painted with patterns, inscribed with names, or wrapped with leaves to create designs. Modern Easter eggs can also be made of chocolate or sugar, sometimes wrapped in foil or filled with sweets. The eggs are a symbol of new life and resurrection, and are often exchanged, blessed, or used in games during the Easter season.

Where does Easter egg come from?

The tradition of decorating eggs for springtime dates back thousands of years, with ancient cultures in Egypt and Mesopotamia associating eggs with rebirth and kingship. Early Christians in Mesopotamia began dyeing eggs red to recall the blood of Christ, and this custom spread through Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant communities in Europe. The practice became linked to Easter, especially as eggs were forbidden during Lent and then enjoyed at Easter. Over time, the custom evolved, with different regions developing their own styles and meanings.

How is Easter egg made?

To make traditional Easter eggs, eggs are hard-boiled and then dyed, often by boiling them with onion skins, beet juice, or other natural materials. Patterns can be made by wrapping the eggs with leaves or drawing on them with wax before dyeing. In some cultures, eggs are painted or gilded. Modern versions include chocolate eggs, which are molded and sometimes filled with sweets, and plastic eggs that can be filled with candy. The decorated eggs may be blessed in church or exchanged among family and friends.

How and when is Easter egg eaten?

Easter eggs are eaten or exchanged during the Easter season, especially after Lent ends. In some countries, they are part of breakfast or a festive meal on Easter Sunday. Eggs may be given to children, hidden for egg hunts, or used in games like egg-tapping, where players try to crack each other's eggs. In Orthodox and Catholic traditions, eggs are often blessed by a priest and shared with family and friends. In Egypt, decorated eggs are part of the Sham el-Nessim holiday.

Kinds of Easter egg

There are many regional versions of Easter eggs. In Ukraine, pysanky are decorated with intricate wax-resist patterns. In Greece, eggs are dyed red and sometimes baked into bread. In England, pace-eggs are boiled with onion skins or flowers for mottled colours. Chocolate eggs and plastic eggs filled with sweets are common in Western countries. Some traditions use eggs in special dishes, like hornazo in Spain or potato casseroles in Hungary.

What Easter egg means

Easter eggs are a central part of Easter celebrations in many Christian communities. They symbolize resurrection and new life, and their decoration and exchange are tied to religious and family customs. Eggs are often blessed in church and used in festive games and meals. The tradition is also linked to the end of Lenten fasting, when eggs could be eaten again. In some places, Easter eggs are brought to cemeteries as a greeting to the departed. The custom has also influenced secular spring celebrations.

When Easter egg is on the table

Orthodox Easter Sham El-Nessim

Questions people ask about Easter egg

What are Easter eggs made of?

Traditional Easter eggs are made from chicken eggs that are hard-boiled and dyed or decorated. Modern versions can be made of chocolate or sugar, sometimes filled with sweets.

Where did the Easter egg tradition come from?

The custom began with early Christians in Mesopotamia, who dyed eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ. It spread through Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant communities in Europe.

How are Easter eggs decorated?

Eggs can be dyed with natural materials like onion skins or beet juice, painted, inscribed with wax, or wrapped with leaves for patterns. In some countries, eggs are gilded or decorated with intricate designs.

When are Easter eggs eaten or exchanged?

Easter eggs are exchanged and eaten during the Easter season, especially after Lent ends. They are often part of breakfast or festive meals on Easter Sunday and used in games or egg hunts.

What do Easter eggs symbolize?

Easter eggs represent resurrection and new life in Christian tradition, recalling the empty tomb of Jesus and the end of Lenten fasting.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Easter egg", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Easter egg