Written by Liz Dickson
Liz’s Biz
quiz@theorbit.biz
Is it the thought of that lovely, long 4 day weekend that first springs to mind?
D
oes the reappearance of Cadbury’s creme eggs culminating in the arrival of over priced oval shaped chocolate have you salivating? Are you raring to chase around the countryside looking for hidden eggs? Maybe the arrival of the anthropomorphic bunny bringing you treats is what you look forward to? Easter means different things to different people & in different countries the celebrations vary widely whilst also having striking similarities!
In Spain, Easter week (Semana Santa) is usually seen as a subdued occasion, mourning the death of Christ and ending in the celebration of his resurrection. This is not usually as flamboyant as the other Fiestas for which Spain is famous. Locally, Valencia is worth a visit to see the colours and costumes and to experience the buzzing atmosphere. There is a solemn aspect to Holy Week in Valencia too, but you can also expect to see lots of processions, most if not all of which, will pass through the main street of Calle de la Reina. Each procession will have different costumes & different meanings, the largest taking place on Good Friday & Easter Sunday. At midnight on 3rd April (Glorious Saturday) the church bells will ring out in celebration of the resurrection, and the residents of the neighbourhood will throw pots of mud from their windows and balconies; a curious old tradition known as the Trenca de perols, so be sure to duck if you do visit the area!
In Germany the start of Easter is marked by covering the cross on Good Friday. Mass starts on Saturday evening and continues until Sunday morning. On Sunday it is Family Day, a special Easter lunch is eaten and they have colored eggs and a cake which is
Easter Sunday and find eggs scattered about their rooms. They look in the nests they have placed in their yards or gardens and find Easter eggs in them.
In Holland, the day before Lent begins is Carnival day which is referred to as Vastenavond or Fast Eve. In South Holland the celebrations begin on the Sunday and last for three days. Preparations begin the previous year on 11th day of the 11th month, when a council of 11 meets to organize the plans. Traditionally the number 11 is the number for fools, and during Carnival people are allowed to be as foolish as they wish. At this time dances are popular, parades and masquerade balls. In each town someone is elected prince of the Carnival and he is handed the keys to the city
In some parts of France, children look for four white horses pulling a chariot full of eggs. The children throw eggs up in the air & the first one to drop it loses & pays a forfeit. An old French custom was a contest of rolling raw eggs down a gentle slope-- the surviving egg was the victory egg and symbolized the stone being rolled away from the tomb.
In England, pussy willow branches are picked especially for Easter. People tap each other with them for good luck. Despite living there for 42 of my 46 years I never got to see it I have to confess! In many parts of England dancers called “Morris dancers” perform on Easter Sunday. These dances are very old spring dances to frighten away the evil spirits of winter. At my house, the very non religious celebrations included eating hot cross buns & lots of chocolate & usually a roast turkey dinner on the Sunday!
shaped like a lamb. They also eat other sweet foods such as cookies, cake and chocolate and hide eggs and cookies in the garden. Another (very sensible if not a tad tardy!) tradition is the Easter Fire. All the old Christmas trees are gathered up and burnt in a special place, this is done to clean away the last signs of winter and move onto spring.
In Italy, church bells ring joyfully during the year. But the bells stop ringing on the Thursday before Good Friday. They are then silent for a few days while people remember the death of Jesus. On Easter Sunday morning, the bells ring out again telling people that Jesus is alive once more. When people hear the bells, they kiss and hug one another. Many children wake up on
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The Orbit
APRIL 2010
Here on the Costa Blanca you will find lots of live music to keep you entertained so check out our excellent Gig Guide on pages 15 & 16 for more information. In Javea, Adam King and Sharni will be strutting their stuff to help celebrate the launch of The Orbit at An Shebeen on Friday 2nd & in case you miss that you can catch Strikland in Moraira at the Shamrock on Sunday 4th. Matt Mason, a terrific singer, will be performing at Mr Be’s on Saturday 3rd. The same evening, in Platino’s you can enjoy an Easter fancy dress party with the consummate & indeed very busy Mr Adam King. Friday 2nd at Quo Vadis you can listen to the music of the Paisley Park trio & on Sunday 4th Wayne Horne will be singing from 4-7. In Denia, at the Hotel Oasis on Sunday 4th you & the whole family can join in an Easter egg hunt & be entertained by DJ Mikey B!
Felices Pasques, Fröhlich Ostern, Buona Pasqua, Vrolijk Pasen or Paasfeest, Joyeuses Pâques ,Happy Easter!
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QUIZIT
What does Easter mean to you?
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