The History of Easter Eggs

Spring has sprung and Easter is just around the corner. With this colorful holiday comes many traditions, family time, and (of course) Easter eggs! Over the years, various cultures have adopted eggs into their traditions in order to represent rebirth and fertility. Easter eggs are a true staple of the celebration, and there are many different ways that people choose to decorate them. In this blog, we explore the origins of some of our egg decorating styles.

Dyed Eggs:

Although there are multiple theories of how egg dying first came to be, many believe that it first originated in Medieval Europe. The first examples of decorated eggs are recorded to have been red in order to represent Jesus’s blood during the crucifixion. British history offers evidence of the first egg coloring dating back to 1290, where the household of Edward I colored and distributed 450 eggs among friends and family as a symbol of Easter.

Scratched Eggs:

Egg scratching has been around for a long time. In fact, archeologists have uncovered carved eggs dating back to the 4th century.

In the early 1300s, this method made its way to Lithuania, where the custom evolved into giving decorated and scratched eggs as gifts to family and friends. History shows that the scratched or carved artificial eggs were fashioned out of stone, clay, and even bone, a tradition that still lives on today in various cultures.

Chocolate Eggs:

Chocolate eggs made their first appearance in France and Germany during the early 19th century. The first-ever chocolate eggs were solid confections until mass production molds were invented.

In 1875, John Cadbury created the first Cadbury Easter Egg. These were made of dark chocolate and filled with sugared almonds. Unlike the Cadbury egg we are accustomed to now, in the first years, they were not decorated with piping or any embellishments.

Just like many people still participate in egg decorating around the holiday, here at Strasburg Rail Road we have a tradition of our own. That’s right, our Easter Bunny Train event is back again this year!

The Easter Bunny Train is a unique experience where families hop aboard and take a ride through beautiful Lancaster, PA. During the 45-minute trip, your child will be surprised with an Easter treat and presented the chance to take a picture with the Easter Bunny.  Book your ticket today and experience the magic of the Easter Bunny Train!