Easter in Sweden, as well as in many other corners of the world, can only be described as another split personality kind of tradition where the Christian reflection on Jesus’ crucifixion is seamlessly mixed with devouring copious amounts of chocolate washed down with eggs in any shape or form. Throw in a witch, a broom, a bonfire and a handful of colourful feathers in the equation and you have some serious explanation to do to the younger generation. All in the name of tradition. And as I stand in the supermarket queue behind a mountain of chocolate, sudden philosophical questions arise and I quietly ponder to myself....what came first, the chicken or the Jesus?
Well, let me tell you good people, they are actually part of the same story. The egg is an early Christian symbol for the resurrection of Christ. The Christian tradition has been to decorate and eat eggs at Easter, all in the name of Jesus. The chicken came into the equation as an extension of the egg. The egg hatches and out comes a chicken! Could the conclusion then be that Christians think Jesus is a chicken?
While I’m on this egg roll, have a look at these eggcups above, will you.
Sometimes you just have to extend the circle of love and include neighbouring designers such as Danish Pernille Vea who created these happy, spirit-lifting eggcups for Menu.
But returning to how chocolate manufacturers have kind of hijacked the Easter egg from the Christian tradition, I urge the empire to strike back. Cadbury and gang, watch out, I have a sneaky feeling that next year there might be competition in the chocolate department, as we will see some delicious chocolate crucifixes bumping those little bunnies from the shelves. It is the Easter spirit after all.
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