The History of Easter Baskets

Although Easter is a holiday that you have known about, and quite possibly enjoyed, for as long as you can remember, you may not know about the actual history of Easter baskets. Easter baskets are traditionally filled with chocolates and other candies resembling eggs or bunnies and are also used for participating in the Easter egg hunts most commonly associated with the holiday. In this article, the history of the Easter basket is discussed.

The history of the Easter basket

The Easter basket has enjoyed a long and varied history to its present day representation. Many centuries ago, the advent of spring was celebrated by taking a basket of seeds to get blessed to ensure a good harvest. For the Catholic church, to commemorate the rebirth of Jesus, food was taken for blessing in the church. As time passed and many veered away from the church and its trappings, the Easter basket morphed into a more consumer-driven commodity; it was soon used to carry candy, jelly beans and other commercially-driven items to and from an Easter egg hunt. Although the holiday of Easter holds a different meaning to those of different faiths, the Easter basket itself has survived over the years by changing to adapt to changing values and sentiments.

The Easter basket has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a way to carry seedlings and foods for blessing to welcome the coming of spring. Though some still try to follow the original tradition associated with the Easter basket, it is now more common to see it used as a catch-all for candy, stuffed bunnies and eggs.