Why Eggs on Easter?

Easter is this weekend and many families will decorate eggs, or use plastic eggs in various ways to celebrate, but how did eggs get associated with Easter?

USDA Historical Expert Anne Effland says there are a couple of stories that could explain the cause, including one that started long before Christianity existed.

“The Persians and Egyptians actually exchanged eggs that were decorated in spring colors as a way of celebrating the spring. The early Christians sort of adopted that.”

The historical spring celebrations honored the ideas of new life and fertility with eggs representing that reality.

Easter origins do have a Christian tie to them as well says Effland.

“Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross with Jesus was an egg merchant. When he returned home after the event all of his hen’s eggs had turned colors into rainbow colors.”