20 unique Easter celebrations from across the world

If you find yourself in New Zealand on Easter, you just might be offered hot cross buns. Eating the sweet became a tradition because hot cross buns are made with dairy products that certain observers of the Lenten season abstain from until it’s over, which is Easter Day. 

The Guatemalan town of Antigua celebrates Easter by laying special carpets on the streets. They're made from flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other unique materials, and artists assemble them within 24 hours, finishing just in time for Good Friday festivities. 

Attention all bookworms: Norway might be your ideal destination over Easter weekend. Many Norwegians follow the tradition of reading novels over the holiday, particularly crime novels. Pack as much Agatha Christie as you can in your carry-on for the occasion. 

Dyeing eggs is an Easter tradition worldwide, but the citizens of Greece do things just a bit differently. Instead of dyeing their eggs any color they please, Greeks stick to red. The color symbolizes Jesus' blood shed on the cross days before Easter. 

You likely won't go missing during Easter if you visit Bermuda, but you might lose something else: Your kite. The citizens of Bermuda have a tradition of flying kites over the holiday, specifically on Good Friday. But you don't need to travel to the Caribbean. You can adopt this tradition wherever you live. 

People in the United States are lucky to get Easter Monday off from work, let alone gather with their fellow citizens to cook a meal together. On Easter Monday, the people of Haux, France, get together to cook a giant omelet. The tradition goes back decades, requiring thousands of eggs to accomplish. 

Bonnets have long been worn on Easter, and in the United Kingdom, bonnet parades celebrate the holiday. Attendees arrive with bonnets of their own creations, ones they've decorated especially for the occasion. 

In a decidedly wholesome tradition, the people of Luxembourg celebrate Easter by passing out pretzels. The exchange takes place a little before Easter, meaning anyone who wants to participate in Pretzel Sunday and still celebrate Easter in their own way is able to do so. 

Bulgarians have an Easter tradition called Good Luck Crack. In it, one person taps their egg against another person's egg, and the last person with an egg that doesn't crack is thought to have good luck for the coming year. 

It's not uncommon for holidays to be celebrated with a reenactment of what happened on that day, but considering Easter's big events were a crucifixion and resurrection, a reenactment is a bit difficult. Still, people in the Philippines do their best to recreate these happenings each year on Easter. And yes, that does mean live men are nailed to crosses. 

In Finland, Easter is a little like Halloween. One custom is to dress as an Easter witch and travel to different houses collecting chocolate eggs. As Americans say "trick or treat" on Halloween, the Finns have a rhyme they recite before receiving a treat. 

Certain countries in Northwestern Europe, namely Sweden and Finland, celebrate Easter by lighting bonfires. According to legend, Swedish witches celebrate with the devil before Easter, and the bonfire will keep the witches away. 

Fireworks are lit off on lots of holidays, but Easter doesn't typically come to mind when thinking of the activity. However, the tradition in Florence, Italy, looks a little different than you might think. Fireworks are lit on a large cart, and the event is called the Explosion of the Cart. 

On the Greek island of Corfu, people celebrate Easter by throwing clay pots and pans out their windows onto the street, resulting (of course) in the pots and pans breaking. The tradition has multiple origins, but all have the same result: lots of shards that need to be picked up on Monday. 

During Lent in Ethiopia, many people observe the holiday by abstaining from meat, dairy products, and eggs, essentially adopting a vegan diet. To celebrate the holiday, Ethiopians break their fast with a meal full of meat, dairy products, and other delectable food items. 

Most people know the bunny to be the primary Easter animal, but in Australia, where rabbits are seen as nuisances, the citizens honor the Easter bilby. Chocolate versions of these animals are distributed just as heavily as chocolate bunnies are in the rest of the world. 

In the Czech Republic, young people across the country celebrate Easter by decorating willow branches with ribbons and calling them whips. Young boys gently whip young girls after the decoration is complete, signifying good luck. The tradition is, unsurprisingly, controversial.  

In Papua New Guinea, people decorate trees for Easter. But the decorations are nothing like what's used at Christmastime. They use tobacco and cigarettes. After church on Easter, the tree decorations are distributed among those in attendance. 

Lots of American children who celebrate Easter are given Easter baskets, but in Germany, the baskets, which are called Easter nests, are hidden. Children are tasked with searching for the "nests," according to legend, the baskets were hidden by the Easter bunny. 

On Easter Sunday, celebrants all across Brazil attend mini carnivals in their towns. The carnivals are family-friendly and rife with candy and other treats that are exchanged in honor of the holiday.