Did you know : Easter icons and oddities

Some fun facts to keep you entertained over Easter:

• The largest Easter egg ever made was more than 25 feet high and weighed more than 8 000 lb. It was made out of chocolate and marshmallow and supported by an internal steel frame. 
• Lamb, a popular choice of meat for Easter Sunday lunch, represents the lamb of God. 
• Crosses made from palm branches and handed out in church represent the palm branches people waved to welcome Jesus to Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. 
• Easter was traditionally a time for new clothing and hats as a symbol of new life, both at the start of spring and through the death and resurrection of Jesus. 
• The crossed strips of icing on top of hot cross buns represents the cross on which Jesus was crucified. 
• In Ukraine, Easter baskets are filled with traditional foods and decorated with flowers, coloured eggs and greenery. The food is taken to church and blessed, then eaten on Easter Sunday for brunch to break the fasting of Lent. 
• Candles burned at Easter time symbolise Jesus, “the light of the world”. 
• Twisted pretzels, which are eaten at Easter time in parts of the world, are representative of arms crossed in prayer. 
• Baby animals in general are associated with Easter as they are born in spring and seen to represent new life. 
• The Sorbs from eastern Germany are deemed the true experts when it comes to painting eggs, and have even embellished their eggs with delicate embroidery. 
• A lesser-known symbol of Easter is the butterfly as some say its life cycle represents the life of Jesus. The first, caterpillar stage is his life on Earth; the second, cocoon stage portrays his crucifixion and burial; and the third, winged stage represents him rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. 
• The film Easter Parade was released in 1948. It starred Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, and featured the music of Irving Berlin. The title song includes the lyrics: 

In your Easter bonnet 

With all the frills upon it 

You'll be the grandest lady 

In the Easter parade 

• In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. 
• Egg-shaped jellybeans became associated with Easter in the US in the 1930s, although they apparently date back to Biblical-era Turkish delight.

Have a good long weekend and hope you get to do some embroidery over the holidays.

Pattern featured: Easter Icons, available from Etsy, Craftsy and my SA shop.