The Eastertide season has finally arrived, and with it, Easter eggs in every form and shape, from the delicious chocolate eggs coated with sugar or wrapped up in colourful foil, to the more humble, traditional hard-boiled eggs, dyed and painted to become beautiful ornaments for our table! But where does this tradition come from? Not so long ago, it was customary to gather the eggs laid by the hens on Good Friday, and use them to make the tagliatelle served on Easter Sunday. Any leftover eggs were boiled and dipped into natural colourings that stained their shell. In many cultures, eggs signify regeneration and resurrection. St Augustine of Hippo, in one of his letters, described them as a symbol of hope, because the creatures inside waits in anticipation of their birth. The unhatched egg therefore represents the annunciation of life. Other authors believe that the symbolism of egg comes from the influence of Germanic populations converted to Christianity. Origin apart, eggs have given rise to a series of traditions and games for children of every age, and feature prominently in many happy memories of our Easter Mondays. And with these eggs, we can finally exclaim: welcome back, spring!
