5 Old-Timey Easter Traditions We Don’t See Anymore

Easter is linked to a number of traditions, some religious, others not. Today, people celebrate the holiday with brunches, candy, and pastel outfits (and in some cases, fancy hats and bonnets). But what about old customs that have fallen out of fashion? Here is a look at a number of old Easter traditions we don’t see anymore. 

1. Playing Ball Games in French Cathedrals 
2. Eating Tansy
3. Hunting Hares and Stags
4. “Scrabbling” Games
5. Chopping at the Tree

Playing Ball Games in French Cathedrals 

This unusual tradition took place in a few of the cathedrals of northern France during medieval times. On Easter Monday, the clergy would use the labyrinth design that adorned the floor as a place to play a ball game. This game occurred  at Auxerre Cathedral, and some believe it was also a tradition at Amiens, Sens, and Chartres. In addition to playing the game on Easter Monday in these French cathedrals, people would also dance along the path of the labyrinth itself. 

Eating Tansy

Most people associate Easter food with candy, especially chocolate bunnies and eggs. But there was once a very different edible item connected to the holiday—one that endured for centuries, but is little known today. This was tansy, a sweet, pancake-like treat made with herbs. People believed the food helped cleanse the body from the after effects of consuming a great deal of fish during Lent.  

Hunting Hares and Stags

Today, when people think of Eater and long-eared, fluffy-tailed creatures, they imagine the Easter bunny bringing baskets of treats to kids. But in the past, the holiday was associated with hunting hares in England. The annual Leicester Hare Hunt was held on Easter Mondays until 1767. Stags weren’t safe, either—the Epping Forest Stag Hunt, held in the outskirts of London, was a yearly attempt to track down a stag in the forest that was eventually banned in 1847.

Hunting is an even more controversial practice in England today than it was at the time these particular hunts were banned, so this is a custom that is highly unlikely to become a part of Easter traditions in the future.

“Scrabbling” Games

You may find games like egg and spoon races or Easter egg hunts at some celebrations—but you probably won’t partake in any “scrabbling.” This old custom involved throwing various things into a crowd so people could compete to see who could gather as many of objects as possible. The items thrown in for scrabbling were often various sweet and savory treats like pies and fruit, and would sometimes also include small amounts of money. The custom of scrabbling usually took place on Easter Monday. It’s viewed as another form of celebration following Easter Sunday itself, as it also involved acquiring items that were extremely enjoyable to eat after the long period of Lent. 

Chopping at the Tree

This Easter tradition took place at the University of Oxford for hundreds of years before being abandoned in the 19th century. The custom was called “chopping at the tree” and, depending on the source, involved either a real tree or a “representation of a tree.” On Easter Sunday, members of University College would walk past a tree (or tree-like object) that had been placed in the college grounds after dinner and chop at it with a knife. The tree would have been decorated with flowers to mark the holiday. 

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