Easter – or “Húsvét” in Hungarian – is an important cultural and Christian heritage that’s steeped in traditions and abundant in delicious food, while both Easter Sunday and Monday are marked as public holidays in Hungary.
Traditions
Easter is a Christian tradition that celebrates Jesus rising from the dead. It’s a roving event that follows the Lenten fasting period, and in Hungary the various celebrations and traditions have links to Christian traditions, pagan rituals and modern chocolatey fun!
“Locsolkodás”
On Easter Monday, this tradition called “locsolkodás” involves boys and men reciting a poem to women and girls and then “sprinkling” them with perfume. In extreme cases this can also be achieved with a bucket of cold water! Originally it was young women of marriage-age who would be the victims but now the act (which has links to earlier pagan fertility rituals) has expanded to women of all ages – even relatives and colleagues.
In return for each “sprinkling” the ladies give the men chocolate Easter eggs, specially decorated painted eggs, homemade cakes and/or a shot of pálinka. So on Easter Monday in Hungary boys and men go from house to house visiting family, friends, and sometimes colleagues spritzing a little Eau de Cologne on the female’s hair, picking up all kinds of treats along the way.
Painted eggs
Painted eggs are part of a prominent Easter tradition in Hungary. Within the Christian tradition eggs were painted red (to symbolize Jesus’ blood), but in recent centuries this has changed to eggs being dyed many varied colors.
The Easter Bunny
In modern Hungary the Easter Bunny brings chocolate eggs for young children and these are sometimes hidden in the house or garden, before they are found after an extensive Easter Egg Hunt. This usually takes place on Easter Sunday or Easter Monday in Hungary.
Food
For those following Christian traditions, on Good Friday it’s customary to eat fish, while on Easter Sunday meat dishes are eaten – particularly exciting if you have been fasting for Lent. Typically, Hungarians eat ham served with horseradish and boiled eggs on Easter Sunday while “kalács” (a kind of braided Milk Loaf) is also served at Easter in Hungary.
Public holidays
Easter Sunday and Monday are public holidays in Hungary, so on Monday most shops will be closed and generally public transport will run less frequently (largely to a Sunday timetable). Cafés, restaurants and some convenience stores will be open according to their usual opening hours on both of these days.
Source: welovebudapest.com
