Easter is often considered to be a Christian holiday, so it’s mainly celebrated by countries in the West, as well as some countries in Africa and several in Oceania. But much like Christmas, many people don’t think about religion when they celebrate the holiday today. Instead, it’s become more about spending time with family, getting a day off from work, and enjoying a delicious feast.
Plus, there are a wide variety of Easter traditions that people participate in around the world, depending on where they’re from. Eggs are often part of Easter celebrations, as people like to dye them in many countries and play games with them. In Mexico, they have “cascarones,” or confetti-filled eggshells to crack on people’s heads. But Condé Nast Traveler notes that in the village of Bessières, France, 15,000 eggs are used every Easter to create a massive omelette that will be shared amongst thousands of people.
Antigua, Guatemala also has a fascinating Easter tradition. Locals create intricate and vibrant designs on the streets with sand, called alfombras, that look like stunning rugs adorning the city. But after they’ve been admired, the artists have to say goodbye to their creations on Good Friday, as a huge parade will walk through the streets, kicking away the designs.
In some nations, Easter Monday is considered to be a holiday as well, and if you’re lucky, you’ll even get the day off from work. But in Poland, they have “Wet Monday.” On this day, boys and men pour water on women and girls, which sometimes turns into a water fight where nobody is safe from being splashed.
Now, if you’re not religious, you might feel a bit left out when friends or family members are celebrating Easter. But there’s no reason why you can’t host a brunch for your loved ones, buy Easter baskets for your kids, dye eggs just for fun, or bake festive spring treats. Chocolate bunnies are for everyone; they don’t care whether you went to church in the morning or not. Plus, if you happen to get a three-day weekend, you might as well enjoy it!
Just like any other holiday, Easter can hit consumers in their wallets. According to Business Insider, in 2024, Americans were expected to spend a total of $22 billion on Easter goodies and decorations. $3.5 billion of that would go towards clothing, as many people like to dress up in pastels or bunny-themed clothing on Easter Sunday. Meanwhile, $7.3 billion was projected to be spent on food and groceries. And when it comes to chocolate bunnies, Peeps, jelly beans, and more, Americans were expected to shell out a whopping $3.1 billion.
Do you think a chocolate bunny tastes different from any other chocolate bar? I have to admit that I do, and it seems like I’m not the only one. Because Switzerland reported that in 2025, the nation produced an impressive 23 million chocolate bunnies. And if you’re wondering how to go about eating one of these adorable little treats, TODAY.com found that the majority of people go for the ears first. Meanwhile, only 4% devour the bunny’s feet first. And a third of people say they have no preference at all when going in for their first bite. As long as the bunny is tasty, that’s all that matters!
Did you grow up being told that the Easter Bunny would visit to fill your basket with sweet treats and your backyard with eggs that needed to be found? Well, this legend actually originated from German folklore in the 17th century. The “Osterhase” or Easter Hare was said to act similarly to Santa Claus, evaluating how well-behaved children had been during the year. And if he was impressed, he would bring small toys, colored eggs, and candy to place in their Easter baskets. The story spread to the United States through German immigrants in Pennsylvania in the 1700s, which is why it’s still so popular in the U.S. today.
