Painting eggs for Easter is a special Lithuanian tradition. The egg is considered a symbol of life and rebirth of nature since pagan times. The tradition of egg dyeing is much older than Christianity and it was believed that painting symbols on eggs has magic power. In Lithuania, there are different ways of dyeing eggs. Many use a thick needle and hot wax to make patterns, including blossoms, snakes, stars, branches of rue, snowflakes, on a cooked egg. Once the egg is colored and wax removed the patterned areas stay white and stand out against the color (see photo below).
Those who have an artistic flair use a small knife to scratch marvelous designs on dyed eggs. My grandfather, an architect and artist, has turned many eggs into art using this technique. Even though I tried to learn a number of times from him, I am too sloppy and impatient to draw detailed and concise patterns on an egg.
My family uses simpler techniques to dye eggs. Dyeing eggs is an even more special experience when the whole family is participating. Since we cannot be together very often, performing this family ritual brought the family closer. We rolled eggs in different colors of a market dye until the egg was covered with bold color patches, looking like Jackson Pollock's painting. In order for eggs to have natural patterns, we wrapped around them leaves and flowers from the garden and onion skins, held in place by mesh and string. They were then released in a pot filled with onion skins to acquire the reddish brown color (see what came out of our eggs at the top). Since old times, most common dye used in Lithuania is onion skins. However, other natural dyes such as red beet, birch and black alder are being substituted by commercial dyes.
Easter breakfast began with my father peeling an Easter egg, cutting it and giving a piece to every member of the family. This was done so that peace and love would always reign within the family and everyone would live in harmony. Another tradition was that each of us took a colored egg and tested whose egg is the strongest by hitting each other's egg. The egg was held in the fist so that only its tip protruded and the other person hit it with the tip of his egg. Following eating mandatory Easter eggs, we feasted on the rest of the dishes, which were very meat based. The reasoning behind meat dishes is to recover from the fasting during Lent. I don't think many Lithuanians fast these days but the tradition is left nevertheless.
This year we did not play an amusing egg rolling game, which my sister and I loved as children. The eggs are rolled from a ramp made from a piece of wood, bark or carton with a downward incline. They aim at eggs of another player located in the circle on the ground. When the rolled egg hits another egg then the lucky player takes both eggs. In the end of the game, the one wins who has the most eggs left (see more on Lithuanian Easter traditions here).
My family uses simpler techniques to dye eggs. Dyeing eggs is an even more special experience when the whole family is participating. Since we cannot be together very often, performing this family ritual brought the family closer. We rolled eggs in different colors of a market dye until the egg was covered with bold color patches, looking like Jackson Pollock's painting. In order for eggs to have natural patterns, we wrapped around them leaves and flowers from the garden and onion skins, held in place by mesh and string. They were then released in a pot filled with onion skins to acquire the reddish brown color (see what came out of our eggs at the top). Since old times, most common dye used in Lithuania is onion skins. However, other natural dyes such as red beet, birch and black alder are being substituted by commercial dyes.
Easter breakfast began with my father peeling an Easter egg, cutting it and giving a piece to every member of the family. This was done so that peace and love would always reign within the family and everyone would live in harmony. Another tradition was that each of us took a colored egg and tested whose egg is the strongest by hitting each other's egg. The egg was held in the fist so that only its tip protruded and the other person hit it with the tip of his egg. Following eating mandatory Easter eggs, we feasted on the rest of the dishes, which were very meat based. The reasoning behind meat dishes is to recover from the fasting during Lent. I don't think many Lithuanians fast these days but the tradition is left nevertheless.
This year we did not play an amusing egg rolling game, which my sister and I loved as children. The eggs are rolled from a ramp made from a piece of wood, bark or carton with a downward incline. They aim at eggs of another player located in the circle on the ground. When the rolled egg hits another egg then the lucky player takes both eggs. In the end of the game, the one wins who has the most eggs left (see more on Lithuanian Easter traditions here).
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