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Here in the states, we associate the Easter holiday with a number of things. Chocolate and candy, Easter baskets filled with treats, gatherings at church and gatherings of family are all common ways to enjoy this tradition.  The holiday has grown to become something very different from its original roots in pagan fertility and the ways that people celebrate it today have become many.  In many places across the world, Easter is about more than just goodies and food (though those are frequently included).  While eggs, feasting and spending time with family are almost universal, there are more than a few interesting and unique traditions, a few of which I have gathered here.

The CzechRepublic - Water and Spankings

In this country, there is a tradition that goes way back whereby men craft braided willow sticks, called pomlazkas, decorate them with ribbons and set about attacking the local women.  Far from being abusive, the custom is playful as opposed to painful and it is supposed to bless the women with beauty, good health and, the most important thing according to Easter, fertility.  Part of this tradition also involves throwing water on women, another way to bestow good luck. While men are generally too lazy these days to make their own pomlazkas, the tradition continues.

Western Finland - Costumes and Treats

While most kids in the Western world will expect their Easter baskets to be waiting for them when they wake up, the children of Western Finland actually have to go out and work for their chocolate eggs - a tradition known as Virpomenin.  They get to have a bit of fun while they do, however, as part of the ritual involves dressing up in witch costumes.  The kids carry around decorated willow branches and wander from house to house handing them out and receiving treats in return.

Hungary - Another Wet Easter

Hungary celebrates a tradition similar to the CzechRepublic, though this version concentrates on the water and leaves out the spankings.  In a practice known as sprinkling, men drench women with buckets of water in order to cleanse them, thus making them healthy and fertile.  In recent years, the soakings have become more polite, however, and nowadays ladies are usually just sprinkling with small amounts of water, cologne or perfume.

Poland - Equal Opportunity Drenchings

For Easter in Poland, they have their own water tossing tradition known as Smingus Dingus.  Again, this involves throwing water at people all day long, but this time the women are free to throw back.  As legend has it, if a woman ends up soaking from head-to-toe, she is destined to end up married within a year.

Philippines - A Holiday of Holiness and Blood

Easter in the Philippines can end up a lot bloodier than what most would normally expect from the holiday, at least in certain regions in the north of the country.  One group of devout Catholics takes it upon themselves to engage in acts of self-flagellation and even self-crucifixion - complete with nails through the hands and feet.  In imitation the trials of Jesus, they hope to purify themselves and help stem the tide of sin in the world.  Needless to say, more people prefer to watch than to participate and it’s usually only a dozen or so people in any given village that take part.

Easter Sprinking photo courtesy of Opusztaszer

Pomlazkas photo courtesy of Podzemnik via Wikicommons

Easter Witches photo courtes of Anneli Salo via Wikicommons