Eostre, Easter Bunny, Eggs, and Hot Cross Buns

A Celebration of Rebirth, Resurrection, and the Fertile Spring

Mar 31, 2010
Sara McGrath

Easter Egg Cross - PugnoM

Easter, Eostre, and Ostara share the common themes of spring-time rebirth and renewal.

At dawn, the sun rises from the east. The word "east" shares roots with Easter, or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn. Easter time brings the rebirth of the sun season and vegetation, as well as an abundance of bunnies and eggs.

In Christian tradition, Easter commemorates the resurrection and rise of the Son of God by his death and rebirth, according to John Opsopaus in the 1996 article "Eoster: Mysteries of the Resurrected Child " on the University of Tennessee website.

Interwoven Traditions of Easter, Eostre, or Ostara

These similarities and common themes show the interwoven traditions of modern Easter celebrations. Christian churches host egg decorating festivities and egg hunts. Secular celebrants participate in afternoon feasts with traditional treats such as Eostre bread, also known as "hot cross buns." The Eoster cross is an equal-sided solar cross, whereas the Christian Easter cross is the one Christ died upon.

The Easter Bunny and Easter eggs both symbolize fertility and birth. Eostre is said to have taken the form of a rabbit. Easter Day is celebrated on the Spring Vernal Equinox or on the Sunday, "the sun's day," following the nearest full moon to the equinox. The Norse goddess, Freyja, associated with the fertile spring and death, is roughly equivalent to Eostre, and can be recognized on Friday, also known as "Freyja's day." The Christian holiday of Good Friday commemorates the death and crucifixion of Jesus, the son of God, which precedes his rebirth on the following "sun's day."

In Christian tradition, the son of God is part of the Holy Trinity of father, son, and spirit, whereas Eostre corresponds to Eos of the triad of the goddesses of dawn, day, and night.

Traditional Easter Activities and Lore

These traditional Easter activities represent birth, growth, renewal.

Bake hot cross buns and sing the associated nursery rhyme (see below)
Decorate, hide, and hunt for eggs
Gather for a feast and celebration
Fast for renewal of body, mind, spirit
Color Easter Printables

In "Easter, Eostre, or Ostara?" Jenn Hardy shares the mythology and legends surrounding the celebration of the pagan fertility goddess Eostre and the symbolism of eggs, hares, and daffodils. In a series on the Sabbat of Ostara, Leigh-Ann Andersen shares "Decorating Eostre's Eggs" and "The Magick of Eostre's Eggs."

Hot Cross Buns Rhyme and Recipe

Good Friday come this month, the old woman runs

With one or two a penny hot cross buns

Help children measure, mix, and knead the dough. You can intersperse other Easter activities while waiting for the dough to rise and for the buns to bake.

Dough:

1 cup milk
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs , 1 egg white
5 cup flour
1 1/3 cup raisins

Glaze:

1 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1-2 Tbsp milk

Instructions:

Heat milk to warm (110 degrees F). Pour milk into a bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit for five minutes.
Stir in sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggs. Gradually mix in flour to form sticky dough. Knead for five minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit for 45 minutes.
Knead for three minutes. Knead in the raisins. Cover the bowl again and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place 1/2-inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1-1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slash each bun with a knife to create crosses. Brush buns with egg white. Bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Whisk together glaze ingredients and spoon over buns. Serve warm.

Easter is a time when Christians and pagans, young and old, fans of mythology, and friends come together to share in celebrations of new life, abundance, and fresh starts.