Eggs are associated with spring festivals in many traditions. One of the liturgies for the celebration of Passover says that roasted eggs have been part of the Seder plate since Roman times, though documented use of eggs in that role dates back only to the 16th century. The custom was observed earlier, perhaps in the 11th or 12th century. The egg represents the holiday offering brought to the Temple and also serves as a reminder of the destruction of the Temple. It is traditionally dipped in salt water to remind observers of the tears of the Israelites.

The practice of hiding eggs dates back to the 16th Century. Several sources attribute it to Martin Luther, who promoted it during the Easter celebration.

In Jewish and Christian traditions, the use of eggs as symbols likely has roots in cultural traditions celebrating fertility in the spring. Eggs are a traditional symbol of fertility, connected to the pagan spring goddess Eostre. Stories of the Easter Bunny also have pagan roots. Rabbits give birth to large litters and are seen as a symbol of new life. Christians celebrating resurrection appropriated symbols of new life from earlier sources.

When I was dating my wife, their family organized a small Easter egg hunt in their backyard, hiding colored eggs that had been dyed. Their pet Scottish terrier found several of the eggs and decided to bury them in the garden. When the girls searched, they couldn’t find all the eggs and a couple weren’t found until later in the spring when their father was working in the garden.

One of my fondest memories of an Easter Egg hunt is when My sister’s three oldest children were toddlers. The twins were a year older than their sister, but the little one was surprisingly able to keep up. On the Easter Egg hunt day, the twins ran off to collect eggs. Their sister was puzzled by the practice. Organizers of the hunt noticed her and put eggs on the ground right in front of her for her to pick up. She watched for a while. A couple of adults put some eggs in her basket. Her siblings returned and shared some of their eggs. Then she, having observed the adults, proceeded to empty her basket, leaving the eggs for other children to find.

In my career as a pastor, eggs, rabbits, and the like were not the focus of my attention during Easter. We had small gifts for our children at Easter but played down stories of the Easter Bunny. Coloring eggs, however, was a tradition in our home. Cups of colored dyes were set out on an old tablecloth, and the whole family joined in the fun of making brightly colored eggs.

That tradition might be restrained in some homes this year, with the price of eggs at an all-time high in the US—well over $6 per dozen. Social media posts have suggested alternatives to coloring chicken eggs. Videos readily available with an Internet search promote coloring potatoes, marshmallows, and even egg-shaped brownies. Another video promotes selecting rocks to color. Despite the high prices, officials have announced that the chicken eggs will be used for the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House.

However, many Easter egg hunts will use plastic eggs, which are considerably less expensive. You can get four dozen for around $2 and ten dozen for about $7 at markets and discount stores. I even saw an advertisement for plastic eggs pre-filled with candy treats priced at $8.46 for 50. Plastic eggs can be saved and reused several times before they become broken. Most, however, are made of plastics that are difficult to recycle. Those placed in home recycling bins will likely end up in a landfill where it will take centuries to break down. Microplastics pollution from landfills is so widespread that most people have detectable amounts of microplastics in their bodies.

Since we retired, it has been our tradition to host our family for Easter Dinner. We prepare our favorite foods and make a feast of them. Eggs, however, are not currently on the menu. Deviled eggs are an option, as we have access to plenty of eggs from the chickens at the farm. They produce well and sometimes get ahead of our consumption. Somehow, deviled eggs haven’t become part of our family traditions, but starting new traditions can be meaningful.

Our week is pretty laid-back, unlike the intensity of Holy Week when we were pastors. We’ll attend a Maundy Thursday service at a church led by a student preparing for ordination. I probably won’t get up for the sunrise service, preferring to make a single trip into town for the regular worship service instead. Perhaps there is some room for new traditions in our household.

We have planted more bulbs each year since we lived in this house. Our hyacinths and daffodils are ending their bloom cycles, but the tulips are spectacular. We have beds with mixed colors and places where we have planted only scarlet tulips. Our cherry trees are in full bloom. The wisteria is a bit slower in blossoming but will show off purple blooms soon. All the blossoms attract pollinators, and we enjoy looking at the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds visiting our yard. Over at the farm, the honeybees are being especially active. I’ve been checking hives and seeing a lot of activity after a winter that was harder on the bees than in previous years. I’m unsure what the problem was, as the weather wasn’t overly harsh. However, spring has come, the bees are stretching their wings, and I’ve been able to assist with some cleaning in the bee boxes. I offered supplemental feed over the winter, but they are now bringing plenty of pollen and nectar to the hives.

Spring is here, and Easter is coming. Resurrection and new life are worth celebrating!