Easter was always one of my favorite times of the year. I got such a kick out of stuffing plastic eggs with little Tootsie Rolls, Hershey’s Kisses wrapped in bright Easter colors, and a few shiny coins. Then I’d hide them all over our big backyard.

Each of my four children was assigned a particular color of egg—although Marie flatly refused to search for pink, calling them “too girly.” To make sure Francis could fully participate despite his vision loss, I used beeping eggs, a wonderful invention first distributed by the Telephone Pioneers of America in 1985.

Off they’d go, Easter buckets in hand, excited and determined. I always prepared twelve eggs for each child but told them there were only ten apiece—just in case a few wound up hidden a little too well. It helped prevent meltdowns and kept the whole event filled with laughter and fun.

The largest Easter egg ever made was created in Italy in 2011. It stood an astonishing 34 feet tall and weighed 15,873 pounds. There’s no way that would have fit in my backyard!

 The Easter Bunny tradition most likely originated with German immigrants, who brought with them tales of an egg-laying rabbit called the “Osterhase” or “Easter hare.” First recorded in the 1600s, this unfluffy, uncuddly wild hare would leave children colored eggs in the hats and bonnets they left out. (I learned that the Germans dyed their eggs using natural ingredients like beet juice, chamomile flowers, red cabbage leaves, blueberries, spinach, coffee, and grape juice—far more organic than today’s dye tablets!)

 The actual tradition of dyeing eggs goes back even further, all the way to ancient Persia, where people colored eggs to celebrate spring and renewal—long before it became an Easter thing. And in Greek tradition, Easter eggs are always dyed deep red to symbolize the blood of Christ.

 My favorite Easter treats are chocolate bunnies and Peeps. Approximately 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced each year.  The National Confectioners Association reports that the majority of people, 78%, prefer to eat the ears first. Hollow bunnies became the rage during WWII because chocolate was rationed. While chocolate bunnies can be found in milk, dark and white chocolates hollow or filled with a variety of nuts and caramels, the most popular bunny is still a hollow milk chocolate bunny.

 I love Peeps, although I prefer them stale…which creates a chewier candy. They were once made by hand, and it took roughly 27 hours to create (because the marshmallow had to cool). Now, with modern equipment, it takes about six minutes. The machine that makes Peeps, the Depositor, has remained unchanged for more than 50 years—and the recipe hasn’t changed, either. They are still made just as they always were, with a mixture of liquid and granulated sugars, corn syrup, gelatin, and vanilla. Each chick has just 28 calories and is fat-free.  Americans eat over 1.5 billion Peeps during Easter.

 Besides Easter eggs, baskets and candy, there are many other countries that celebrate Easter in different ways. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia on Easter Monday, boys lightly whip girls with braided willow switches.  The key word here is LIGHTLY. By doing so, it is supposed to bring youth and fertility.

In Finland, kids dress up as mini witches, wearing headscarves (babushkas) and carrying brooms. They go door to door asking for treats in exchange for blessing the home with a spell. It’s like Halloween meets Easter—with just a hint of Harry Potter magic thrown in.   

In France, Easter is celebrated with a giant omelet party! According to legend, Napoleon once enjoyed an omelet so much at a local inn that he ordered the townspeople to gather every egg they could find to make a massive one for his army. The tradition stuck. Today, in the town of Haux, they whip up a giant omelet using 4,500 eggs—enough to feed over 1,000 people! With the price of eggs these days, this would be one very costly celebration if held in the United States!   

 On Easter Monday in Poland, people chase each other around and drench one another with buckets of water, water guns, or anything that sprays. Originally, it was a flirtatious tradition where boys would splash the girls they liked—but these days, it’s turned into a joyful, soaking-wet free-for-all.  Forget the Easter bonnet, bring a raincoat!

Easter is a time where a rabbit lays eggs, kids get high on candy, and Peeps rise every year like sugar-coated zombies, ready to defend their honor. “Stale?” they hiss. “We are aged. Like a fine wine.”