Hunting Easter Bunny Eggs outdoors is a long standing tradition in my family. I won’t declare it a typical Norwegian habit as I guess it more likely comes from Germany. Never the less, this has been the highlight of spring for as long as I can remember. Since it matches the theme of my blog, I will gladly give you an insight, so let me start with some pics to set the mood (click all pics to bigify and enjoy):
Left: Eggs “hidden” in the woods – Right: The adventure of the hunt
I will show you more of how we make the most adventurous cookout every Easter Sunday. Only first I want us to learn something from my posts – so I have done some research and here is a summery:
The Easter Bunny roots:
Like the origin of Easter which has its roots that go back to pre-Christian, Anglo-Saxon history. The holiday was originally a pagan celebration that worshipped the goddess Eastre. She was the goddess of fertility and springtime and her earthly symbol was the rabbit. In pagan times, the “Easter hare” was no ordinary animal, but a sacred companion of the old goddess of spring. The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the spring season.
The Easter Bunny folklore:
Feeling guilty about arriving late one spring, the Goddess Ostara saved the life of a poor bird whose wings had been frozen by the snow. She made him her pet and filled with compassion for him since he could no longer fly, she turned him into a snow hare and gave him the gift of being able to run with incredible speed so he could protect himself from hunters. In remembrance of his earlier form as a bird, she also gave him the ability to lay eggs – in all the colours of the rainbow – but only on one day out of each year. The eggs should be given to the children attending the Ostara festivals that were held each spring. The tradition of the Easter Bunny Eggs hunt had begun:
Outdoors family Bunny Egg Hunt:
So with this as a background, let me share my family’s way of doing it. We love to be out in the woods where the bunnies live (and at Easter lay their eggs), so the hunt must take place there – in all weather, snow or cold! You know my saying: there is no such as bad weather, only bad clothes!
So walking into the woods, without the children taking notice, an adult runs ahead and hides the eggs, usually with the excuse that he (often my father) would like to start the bonfire. When the rest of the gang arrives he announces that he has seen signs of the Easter Bunny, which he was especially big this year and made a lot of noise hopping here and there and everywhere hiding his eggs.
So the hunt begins – here are some more photos from different years in different weather conditions:
Snow and cold does not matter – spring is in the air :-)
Hot dogs in branch bread:
In resent years my sister has made dough called ‘pinnebrød’ (branch bread) which you can roll around the stick or around the sausage stuck on the branch. Then we all sit around the bonfire, enjoying the catch of the hunt and some hotdogs – and of course our company. Again, here are some example photos from the latest years:
There is of course other (Norwegian) ways to eat your hotdog too; in lompe:
We are soon on our way to my home town to meet my parents and sisters family for this adventurous tradition. When I post this in advance this year, it is to give you all the chance to have fun the same way. Have you tried? Or would you like too? Tell me what you think in comments please!
I have of course posted about this over the years and here are the previous ones:
Hunting Easter Bunny Eggs in snow
Easter Bunny Eggs Hunt in Norwegian Woods
i love reading about your hunt every year. it looks like such a fun family activity. thanks you for sharing it again and the origins of the easter bunny. :)
Ah – I do love Easter egg hunts! We’re having ours today although in Britain, we usually have the hunt on Sunday.
And mmm, I do love pinnbröd.
Dearest Renny, this is really a most interesting account, I loved reading it…In Italy, unfortunately, we don’t have a similar tradition, we just have the habit of giving Easter chocolate eggs with a surprise hidden inside to children or to our loved ones in general. Do you have this same tradition in Norway??^_^ My best regards and a very warm hug to you and your wife!!!!!!!!!
Happy Easter to you all!! Ciao!!
Letizia^_^
Hi, Renny!
I linked this post in my Blog about the story of Ostara, the hare and the eggs. Happy Easter…
Thank you!
As I probably have said before: look like fun to me :-) And yummy too :-P
What is that comparing to partying with the devil? *crazy laugh*
(Hint: look at my Easter post..)
Happy Easter for you and your family.
Your chocolate eggs (drawings) is very different! Beautiful! I will take a photo of Easter in Brazil and I”ll send to you…but adventure”s tradition is amazing as my country!!
Happy Easter !!!
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Kareltje =^.^=
Anya :)
I love potetlompe! I can just eat it without anything, as a snack.
Thank you for sharing once more. I enjoyed reading about your Easter customs, as I have your other posts. May even try the Norwegian method of hot dog serving as well.:-}
What a lot of fun for the kids…big and little! Finishing the hunt with a barbecue and picnic sounds just great. I love reading about the different customs Norway has.
Thank you, Renny. Happy Easter to you and Diane.
Hello Renny! That’s a really nice way to spend Easter! Happy Easter to you and Diane!
I am so sorry that I haven’t been around here lately. I just moved to a new site.
I see you still have a lot of snow. It all melted here a while ago, and it was 25C over the WE. Amazing! Now in that case, snow is good for you: the chocolate doesn’t melt :lol:
When I was a kid, we used to hide eggs and chocolate bunnies outside. I would “hunt” with all my heart, trust me! I don’t see Canadians doing that though, apparently people just buy chocolate here and that’s it.
We have also Easter here in Philippines but I guess it is much harder to find egg in snow ^_^
Oh, I saw your cute wood cup again, Renny. And these cute eggs! Did you made them yourselves?
I love this kind of family tradition, I can feel the happiness of everybody of your family.
PS: I just backed to internet world after 4 months disappearing. I must tell you I miss you and your blog so much!
you seems to have fun Easter Egg hunting in that snowy wood! Happy Easter to you and your family!
I guess I especially love the food..wink! happy week too!
Happy Easter Renny, Diane and your family. I like that big Easter egg!!!
Hugs,
Ria C
It’s My Party
In My Home
Handmade with Love
seems great..must be fun..loved the natural surroundings..the snow. the river!!!so very rich..
http://www.myyatradiary.blogspot.com
I totally love your traditions, Renny, and what you and Diane do to celebrate them. Little by little I am learning what Astrid has done here in Holland. I didn’t grow up with those rich traditions as a preacher’s kid. But I am making up for lost time, thankfully. :)
I would love to eat those hot dogs after all that walking trough that deep snow!! O.M.G. you still have so much snow up there? :)
Send you some warm Florida sunshine!
Susanne
That’s unique! Hunting for Easter eggs in the snow! Wait for me!
Hi very cool post all is looking very natural all is very fantastic sharing share it again by again.
Enjoy the Holidays !
But you do, don’t you ? ;-)
Lovely post. I have also grown up with the easter egg hunt, easter morning every year. My mother is german, so I belive she took the tradition with here from Germany.
Tine
I see you had good time festing easter!!! Thanks for sharing about the origin of the eggs hunt! it’s so interesting to learn so much about the pre-christianism! This year the little daughter of my sister Muguette found the eggs in the garden again! I am on holiday now and I enjoy the break with school!
Hey Renny,
What a cute event. I only hunted for eggs once, and I admit I am not a fan – I don’t have the patience for it.
I loved the historic side of this post; I already knew about the Spring goddess, but it is always a pleasure to read about these things :D.
Christians really mixed their traditions with pagan ones, eh? Certainly to allure more members…
Cheers
That takes Easter Egg hunting to a whole new level, looks like such fun!
looks like a lot of fun
Hi very cool post and also very impressive all is very nnice in hots time.
I need some refresh now. and this photo make a lot of psychological effect