HAPI Jr.-Bulacan and the Origin of the Easter Egg Hunt

By Shawn Evans Quiming
HAPI Scholar

Last April 14, 2022, at Looban, Pinagbakahan, Malolos, Bulacan, HAPI Junior Ambassador Angie Driskell together with HAPI Chief Finance Officer Mutya Valenzuela and other friends prepared a short program for the kids of HAPI-Bulacan. The program centered on the origin of the Easter Egg Hunt tradition and why some religious people celebrate it. Ambassador Angie explained to the children that while religious people celebrate it as Jesus’ resurrection, it originated from the pagans as the Spring Equinox:  a time when nature is awakened from the slumber of winter and the cycle of renewal begins anew. Anglo-Saxons, an ancient tribe from Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands used to honor this time of rebirth by invoking Eostre or Ostara, the goddess of spring, dawn, and fertility.

Following Angie’s brief historical primer, several of the youngsters shouted, “Oh, so that’s how it started!” The young audience was definitely startled by the history. Angie then explained the instructions for the next event, the “Egg Hunt,” in which kids are given time to gather all the eggs they can find in a very spacious land full of nooks and crannies that could be a hiding spot for an egg. Older kids are encouraged to assist younger kids in finding the eggs, and some were accompanied by their mothers and other members of HAPI. Everyone was ecstatic as some of them had never experienced the tradition before. 

They had fun with the egg search game and received some wonderful prizes as a result. Our very own HAPI CFO prepared sopas (chicken macaroni soup), which were afterward served to the children to refill their energy and reward them for their efforts. Angie’s daughters also contributed to making the performance more dynamic from start to finish.

Never let it be said that the Spring Equinox can’t be fun and educational at the same time!

Reference: Easter May Have Started out as a Sex Ritual and Here’s Why (theculturetrip.com)