We want to hear from you! Take our quick customer survey today for your chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher.

Easter Around The World

As we all know, Easter is a big celebration in the UK. Church services are held and chocolates are exchanged among families. But are you aware of the different ways Easter is celebrated across the world? In today's blog, we're looking at some interesting Easter traditions from around the world.

Brazil

A Brazilian Easter parade Galo da Madrugada, Carnival 2014 - Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Source: Governadoreduardocampos, Flickr.

On Shrove Tuesday, Rio de Janeiro is home to huge carnivals. The streets are filled with marching processions, music, dancing, and even floats. Those taking part dress in bright, vibrant clothes, or even wear costumes made from wire structures which look like huge birds and butterflies.

These bright carnivals started over 250 years ago, brought to the nation by Portuguese settlers. Early carnivals involved throwing flour and water over each other. Carnivals were banned in the mid-1800s as they had become violent and many people got hurt. From the early 1900s Brazilians have been celebrating these carnivals again, with fun marching songs and eventually motorised floats to display performers.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Lent is much more strict than in the UK. Christians don't eat or buy and animal products. That means no meat, eggs, butter, and more!

On Palm Sunday people wear headbands and rings made from palm leaves. For Easter Day churches hold a service from 8pm on Easter Saturday to 3am on Easter Sunday.

Germany

The German village of Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Plays. These plays originate from the days when people couldn't read, so to learn the teachings of the bible parts were performed.

In Oberammergau, these plays are performed every ten years and last months with individual plays taking whole days.

Mexico

In Mexico, Easter celebrations are spread over 2 weeks and 2 different festivals, Semana Santa and Pascua. Over this time palm leaves are hung over the doors of Mexican homes to ward off evil. Passion plays are held and parades take place every morning.

South America

We've written about some South American celebrations already. Though big parades and festivals are carried out in Mexico and Brazil, in many other South American countries including Peru a large statue of Jesus on a donkey is carried through the streets of towns before being taken into a church for a Palm Sunday service.

Thanks for reading about Easter around the world. 

 

 

Written by

Total Merchandise | Editoral Team

Our editorial team is drawn from a pool of experienced promotional merchandise product team members, account managers, marketers and other contributors. With such a wide range of skills and experience, they write about many aspects of promotional merchandise, wider marketing and business matters, as well as company news updates.

Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn

Total Merchandise
The TM Edit: 9 Must-See Spring 2025 Merch Ideas For Your Brand

The TM Edit: 9 Must-See Spring 2025 Merch Ideas For Your Brand

The days are getting longer, the birdsong is getting louder and one thing is becoming increasingly clear - spring is nearly here. If you're looking for a Q2 refresh

TM Edit: 9 Easter Promo Products To Help Your Brand Hop Into Spring

TM Edit: 9 Easter Promo Products To Help Your Brand Hop Into Spring

With Spring on the horizon and Easter 2025 fast approaching, consider this your sign to hop to it and get organised with your seasonal marketing plans. Whether you&rsquo

10 Exciting New Merch Ideas To Have On Your Radar This March

10 Exciting New Merch Ideas To Have On Your Radar This March

As we step into March, it's the perfect time to refresh your promotional strategies and stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming spring season. Whether you're pr

Go Green with Over 600 Eco-Friendly Merchandise Ideas

Go Green with Over 600 Eco-Friendly Merchandise Ideas

With climate change and environmental responsibility increasingly hot topics around the UK - and the globe as a whole, for that matter - it makes total sense for your business t

Eco Friendly Promotional Gift Ideas

Eco Friendly Promotional Gift Ideas

It’s time for green to go mainstream, people. With more and more businesses becoming aware of their corporate responsibility to become more eco-friendly, it’s really

New Year, New Merch: The Best Products for Promoting Your Brand This Year

New Year, New Merch: The Best Products for Promoting Your Brand This Year

Fact: the new year is the perfect time to consider new promotional merchandise! It's a common trend that the start of a new year means a fresh start, so why not have the sam

Promotional Merchandise Statistics: What’s Working in 2025?

Promotional Merchandise Statistics: What’s Working in 2025?

As digital marketing channels become more saturated, branded merchandise continues to stand out by offering something tangible and lasting. Whether given away at events, sent in

10 Exciting New Merch Ideas To Have On Your Radar This March

10 Exciting New Merch Ideas To Have On Your Radar This March

As we step into March, it's the perfect time to refresh your promotional strategies and stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming spring season. Whether you're pr

The TM Edit: 9 Must-See Spring 2025 Merch Ideas For Your Brand

The TM Edit: 9 Must-See Spring 2025 Merch Ideas For Your Brand

The days are getting longer, the birdsong is getting louder and one thing is becoming increasingly clear - spring is nearly here. If you're looking for a Q2 refresh