Easter egg decorations can thus be understood as a special, intimate, graphic form of Easter love poetry.


Easter in the Great Britain

Unlike the Czech Repulic, in Britain many Easter traditions have been forgotten, but there is still one that has survived.
Easter does not mean only Easter Sunday and Easter Monady, but Good Friday – the Friday before Easter Day – as well. In Britain, this day is connected with hot cross buns. In the old times, people used to eat them for breakfast on Good Friday, but nowadays they are eaten practically at anytime during the week before Easter.
Hot cross buns are sweet buns, containing dried fruit (like currants, sultanas and raisins) and spices. He baker, before he puts them into the oven, marks them with a cross to remind us of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the first Friday in all the history of Good Fridays.
The buns are usually toasted and eaten hot with butter. They are crispy and warm and delicious…
Easter Sunday is a Chocolate Eating Day. Chocolate Easter eggs are sold many weeks before the actual holiday, in all imaginable kinds of wrapping. Easter eggs are distributed after breakfast, then some people go to church. Eggs, wrapped in coloured paper, are another symbol of new life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Easter Monday is a day of a rest. People enjoy walking or travelling to the seaside. Londoners also watch the parade of horses and carriages in Regent´s Park or simply laze about.


What does Easter mean for an average English family?

- buying Easter cards and sending them to the relatives and friends,
- cleaning of house or flats,
- buying sweets for children (Easter bunnies, chocolate eggs),
- painting (or other ways of decoration) eggs,
- watching religious films on TV,
- Bank Holiday on Monady and Friday : very popular for sport (foot-ball matches, horse races)
- the beginning of spring…


Vocabulary :

Celebrate – slavit
Secular – světský
Candy – bonbón
Religious – náboženský
Resurrection – zmrtvýchvstání
Establish – zřídit, ustanovit
Decide – rozhodnout se
Equinox – rovnodennost
Rise – povstat
Likely – pravděpodobný
Replace – nahradit
Pagan – pohanský
Festival – svátek
Origin – původ
Whip – karabáč, mrskat
Willow branch – vrbová větev
Feast – hodovat
Service – (zde – bohoslužba)
Sunrise – úsvit
Tomb – hrobka
Contain – obsahovat, zahrnovat
Mood – nálada
Joyful – radostnýcustom – zvyk
Birch – březový proutek
Bunch – svazek
Stick – proutek
Neighbour – soused
Relatives – příbuzní
Refuse – odmítnout
Strength – síla
Fast – půst
Literature: Methodical list.