EASTER  ( VEĽKÁ NOC )   

 

Easter is celebrated by the people all over the world. People paint „Easter eggs“ and decorate their houses. They also send the cards to their friends and relatives. Easter is the symbolic beginning of spring and the symbols of new life are eggs, rabbits, chicks (baby chicken) and ducklings (baby ducks).

For Christian  preparation for Easter begins by lent (pôst) – it´s 40 days before  Easter Sunday. Lent is the time when people usually don´t eat meat, chocolates and don´t drink alcohol. The week before Easter Sunday is called Holly week (Veľký týždeň). It begins with:

 

Palm Sunday (Kvetná nedeľa)

–        the people celebrate coming Jesus Christ to Jerusalem when he was greeted with palm branches

 

Maundy Thursday (Zelený štvrtok) – Last Supper (Posledná večera)

–        it´s the last meal of Jesus, when he washed feet to his disciples (učeníkom)

 

Good Friday (Veľký piatok)

–        Jesus was crucified, Christians don´t eat much on this day

 

Easter Sunday (Veľkonočná nedeľa)

–        a joyous celebration of Jesus resurection (vzkriesenie) from death

 

Bank Holiday Monday (Veľkonočný pondelok)

– all the banks, shops and schools are closed

 

Easter Monday in English-speaking countries  

British don´t celebrate Easter like Slovaks do. The Easter version of Santa Claus is the Easter Bunny (Veľkonočný zajačik). Children believe it brings them sweets – chocolate eggs and rabbits. There is something called „Easter egg hunt“. Parents hide (schovať) the Easter eggs all over the house and garden - they hide the eggs in the grass, in bushes and trees. Children´s task is then to find as many eggs as possible.

 

Poem:

Easter time is lots of fun,

That´s when the Easter Bunny comes.

Put your basket out and wait,

Then you can put on weight.

Wake up when the church bells ring,

Then go to church and sing and sing.

 

Easter Monday in Slovakia

In Slovakia, boys chase girls and they whip (vyšibať) them with a willow cane (korbáč z vŕbových prútov). Usually, boys make the canes by themselves or they can simply buy them. Some of boys (mostly in Orava) have water in a bucket or a bottle and they splash girls with it. Some boys also spray the girls with perfume. When they are finished, boys are rewarded with painted or chocolate eggs and money.