But where did the color come from? We have the Eastern Orthodox traditions to thank for this fun rite of childhood passage. According to a popular story, Mary Magdalene went before the Emperor Tiberius in Rome to proclaim Christ’s Resurrection, using an egg to demonstrate the concept. The emperor allegedly said that a man rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red, which it immediately did. Whether the story was based in truth or fabricated, it launched a tradition of dying eggs red to symbolize the blood Christ shed for us on the cross, and it explains why some icons of Mary Magdalene depict her holding a red egg.
While most children in the United States use commercially purchased shrink wrap and dye kits to decorate Easter eggs, Slavic traditions are far more elaborate. Pysanka are eggs that originate in Ukraine, where colorful patterns are created by applying alternating layers of dyes and wax (which protects the color underneath). Other Slavic cultures paint wooden eggs, etch eggs, or decorate them with beads or fabric. No matter how your family decorates them, enjoy this delicious symbol of the joyous reason behind the Easter season.