Easter

History

100

What city hosts the oldest Easter parade in the US?

A. Huston

B. Chicago

C. New York

New York 

The Easter parade is most closely associated with Fifth Avenue in New York City, but Easter parades are held in many other cities. Starting as a spontaneous event in the 1870s, the New York parade became increasingly popular into the mid-20th century—in 1947, it was estimated to draw over a million people. 

200

What decade did Easter Bonnets become popular?

A. 1890s

B. 1930s

C. 1950s

1930s

While dressing up for Easter is nothing new, bonnets didn’t become fashionable until 1933. It was during this year that the composer Irving Berlin popularized them with his song, “Easter Parade,” which has lyrics about elite New Yorkers showing off their Easter outfits.

300

What president was the first to host the Easter Egg Roll at the Whitehouse?

A. Rutherford B. Hayes

B. Richard Nixon

C. Theodore Roosevelt

Rutherford B. Hayes

400

What state held the biggest Easter Egg hunt ever in the US?

A. Florida

B. Kansas

C. Massachusetts

Florida

500

When is the earliest recorded celebration of Easter?

A. 20th Century

B. 5th Century

C. 2nd Century

2nd Century

Easter comes from the 2nd century, though it is likely that even the earliest Christians commemorated the Resurrection, which is an integral tenet of the faith.

Traditions

100

What animal is the "symbol" of Easter?

A. Chicken

B. Bunny

C. Fox

Bunny

200

What do kids hunt for on Easter?

A. Flowers

B. Eggs

C. Candy

Eggs

300

What do parents leave out for their kids in the morning on Easter? 

A. Baskets

B. Books

C. New clothes

Easter Baskets full of candy 

400

What does the communal breaking of eggs symbolize?

A. The Last Supper

B. Christ's Resurrection

C. Christ's Birth

The eggshell represents Christ's sealed tomb, and the cracking represented Christ's resurrection.

The ancient Greek game of egg pocking, also known as tsougrisma, involved clinking together eggs that were dyed red to represent the blood of Christ, with the cracking of the egg symbolizing the resurrection of Christ. Over time, this tradition spread to various cultures around the world. 

500

What is the official flower of Easter? 

A. White Lily

B. Rose

C. Tulip

White Lily

Religion/Folklore

100

What do Christians celebrate on Easter?

A. The Birth of Christ

B. The resurrection of Christ

C. The Last Supper

The resurrection of Jesus Christ

 

200

T/F? Easter is the most popular day for Christians to attend church.

A. True

B. False

True 

People take Sunday service to heart on Easter. Forty-three percent of Americans plan to attend church in celebration. Easter closely outnumbers Christmas Eve and Palm Sunday for the title of "most church attendees."

300

T/F? Easter is the oldest Christian Holiday.

A. False

B. True

True

400

What is another name Christians use for Easter?

A. Ascension Sunday

B. Resurrection Sunday

C. Trinity Sunday

Resurrection Sunday

500

In the 13th century, what traditional Easter symbol/food was banned during holy week?

A. Ham

B. Lamb

C. Eggs

Eggs 

In the Middle Ages, Church prescriptions were stricter for the period of Lent than for the other lean days in the year. Meat and animal-based products were forbidden. This meant eggs, butter, cream, milk and cheese could not be eaten. 

Food

100

Most common protein used for Easter dinner? 

A. Chicken

B. Ham

C. Turkey

Ham 

200

Appetizer/side dish traditionally made with hard boiled eggs, mustard, mayo and paprika? 

A. Potato Salad

B. Egg Salad

C. Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

300

What is the most popular Easter Candy as of 2024?

A. Reeses Eggs

B. Gummy Bears

C. Cadbury Eggs

Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs

400

Why are pretzels associated with Easter? 

A. They are popular in Germany (which is where the Easter Bunny is from)

B. The Holy Trinity

C. They look like praying hands

The Holy Trinity

The monks used the pretzel's distinctive knot shape to represent the Holy Trinity, with the three holes in the pretzel symbolizing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This theory also ties the pretzel's history to religious practices and traditions.

500

Food traditionally made with spiced fruit and marked with a cross?

A. Figgy Pudding

B. Hot Cross Buns

C. Carrot Cake

Hot Cross Bun

Inextricably linked to Easter and to Christianity. But in reality, they probably have pre-Christian origins. 'Cross Buns' were baked to celebrate Eostre, a Germanic Goddess of Fertility, after which the season of Easter is said to be named.

 

Around the World

100

Where did the Easter bunny originate?

A. England

B. Germany

C. Russia

Germany

The Easter Bunny made its way to America in the 1700s by German immigrants to Pennsylvania, who reportedly brought over their tradition of an egg-laying hare named "Osterhase" or "Oschter Haws" from the Old Country.

 

200

Where is the largest Easter egg museum in the world?

A. Poland

B. Japan

C. Paris

Poland

300

Where did the tradition of dying eggs come from? 

A. Ireland

B. Russia

C. Ukraine

Ukraine 

We have Ukrainians to thank for the art of egg dyeing, which originated in ancient Ukraine and is called pysanka. Painted pysanka eggs were even believed to have powers that would bring fertility and good harvests in the new season.

 

400

In Switzerland, its not the Easter Bunny that gives out eggs. What animal gives them instead?

A. Owl

B. Fox

C. Cuckoo Bird

A Cuckoo bird

In Switzerland, Easter eggs are delivered by the Easter Cuckoo (bird). The Cuckoo is the country's symbol of growth and rebirth. A Cuckoo bird is very prevalent in Switzerland and where the cuckoo clock originated. 

500

What traditional Halloween costume do children in Finland dress up as on Easter? 

A. Mummies

B. Witches

C. Werewolves

Witches

Children celebrate Easter very differently than they do in America. A popular tradition sees children dress up like witches and go door-to-door in search of chocolate eggs and treats on Easter Sunday — similar to Halloween in the U.S. Many Finnish people even burn bonfires as a Nordic tradition to ward off witches during Holy Week.