Easter Traditions Around the World

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By Mandy Waters


Easter, the holiday surrounding Christ's death and resurrection, is celebrated in Christian communities across the world. However, not everyone celebrates in exactly the same way. Different countries have evolved very different Easter traditions, from decorating eggs to flying kites and reading mystery books. In many countries, Easter has also become more secular, creating the traditions of Easter breaks during the school year and chocolate rabbits for children. Here are five Easter traditions from around the world.
Kite Flying
In Bermuda, people traditionally fly kites for Easter. This practise is said to have begun when a British teacher had trouble explaining Christ's Ascension to a church class so he made a cross-shaped kite to help illustrate the event to his students. Now people make colourful paper kites with long tails for Good Friday every year. Most of these kites are hexagonal, with wheel-like spokes, instead of cross-shaped, while some are octagonal in shape. Several Bermuda kites hold the world record for length and height of flight.
Egg Breaking

Easter In Venice

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Author: sandhya jain

As with most parts of Italy, Easter in Venice is an important festival for reflecting and renewing faith and especially for families to come together.
The Easter holiday period is a time for the enjoyment of children and families visiting the city will find that kids take centre stage and are to be cherished. This is best illustrated at the Easter Monday fair on Via Alvise Pisani in the heart of central Venice. It features funfairs, sports and activities for children of all ages. A popular day out for locals, there are circus performers, street musicians and drama shows depicting biblical scenes all done with a sense of fun and freshness.
Church services and concerts across the city
Churches across the city welcome all visitors to celebrate the meaning of Easter from the famous St Marks Basilica to countless charming Gothic and Baroque churches that are themselves wonderful works of art. The old austere cathedral of San Pietro, the pretty 13th century Sant Elena or the spectacular San Rocco are just some of the churches that offer compelling Easter services. There is even an Anglican church in the heart of the city. The enduring sound of bells ringing out on Easter Sunday offers a melodic symphony across the city as streets are filled with solemn torch lit processions and music. Similarly a brightly illuminated flotilla of vaparetto boats leisurely cruise the waterways to St Marks filled with elegantly dressed local dignitaries prior to Easter mass. Everywhere at Easter one can feel the sense of cultural pride and faith that the occasion brings that makes it should an uplifting time of year for a visit.
Relaxation in the warm spring sunshine
Churches and museums open their doors at Easter for a series of choral and classical concerts often with free entrance and there is a special Easter proms season at the renowned Teatro Goldoni. Many cultural centres also provide children’s events such as the Scuola Grande di San Rocco which hosts a children's theatre during the holidays.
Easter in Venice is also a time for relaxation and there are several havens in the city where visitors can escape the crowds and enjoy a peaceful afternoon in the warm sunshine. The Papapodoli Gardens is a secluded park ideal for a picnic or stroll along the Riva di Biasio which is a picturesque promenade offering lovely views of the Cannevegio Canal. This time of year sees an increasing active cafe society with pavements filled with diners and coffee drinkers enjoying the fine weather and colourful Venetian street life.
Easter activities are just a way of having fun. Do not tax your brain too much and do not relegate Easter activities into some sort of a headache. Keep Easter activities simple and enjoyable. Let everyone enjoy Easter with the Easter activities you plan. And try to involve everyone in all the Easter activities. So, take special care of adults and old ones who generally feel left out in these Easter activities.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/easter-in-venice-1868943.html
About the Author

Sandhya jain is an online marketing expert for CityVacations, with a particular interest in travel and hotel reviews, also associated with the CityVacations a leading travel agent from UK provides Holidays in Venice and International Destinations around the world.

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Christmas Breaks in Barcelona

Author: Asif Khan

Christmas seems to begin earlier and earlier each year. It seems that no sooner do the skulls, witches and vampires for Halloween leave the shop windows do we see Santa Claus, Rudolph and the elves appear. Then as soon as Saint Steven's day arrives, the shops are full of the January sales! Well, Barcelona in Spain is different. OK, so maybe the decorations do start to spring up a little after Halloween, but Christmas festivities in Barcelona breaks go on for much longer than just 26th December.
New Years is a huge celebration, in the bars and restaurants, and on the streets. People are dressed up and there is a carnival atmosphere. As the clocks strike twelve, the people of Barcelona eat twelve grapes in time with each of the chimes.
There will be bright lights everywhere you go and gifts for anyone on your list. You might even find some snow. However, not as much as you may find in other parts of Europe. You will find singing all around, specialty foods that are only treasured during this time. You will also find that many places like museums celebrate the holidays but are not open on Christmas Day.
Shopping in the Catalan Capital of Barcelona is one of the best things to do to aside from visiting many of the cultural and heritage sites the Mediterranean city has to offer. Shopping malls and small winding alleyways filled with shops are the hub of the centre of the city - the old town, or Casc Antiguo - and there are certainly some bargains to be had if you know the right places.
On Christmas Eve in Barcelona you will find it filled with special visitors in the homes there. Mainly those homes with children will get a visit from the "caga tió" a round wooden log which represents the practice of giving presents. This log marks the beginning of the holiday season and that Santa Claus is coming. This is also the time many families gather and spend some time outdoors. During the day the parents will hide the log and then the children will find it and hit it with a stick to bring forth presents.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/christmas-breaks-in-barcelona-3800875.html
About the Author

Log on to http://www.citybreakbarcelona.co.uk/ and you'll find everything that you need for Barcelona Holidays.