Easter in Hungary

Photo copyright of Emese Kerkay, American Hungarian Museum Publication,
Passaic, NJ

This Monday, Hungary will be celebrating Easter. The above eggs are the typical Hungarian easter egg traditional designs. I doubt just anyone would be able to decorate an egg like that.

I have written about this in my other blog, but I think I would write it here for this blog's reader. The way Hungarian celebrate Easter, the men will be going around visiting carrying a bottle of perfume each. The women stay at home and cook some dishes for the men. The men will then recite a poem which sounds something like this translated into English to the ladies:

I was walking by the park,
I saw a flower withering,
I wish to sprinkle it with water,
May I?

When the lady says yes, the guy will then sprinkle a little perfume on the lady. Well, one type of perfume is fine. But imagine 10 men or more all with different smelling perfumes? Easter is more like stink fest for women in Hungary. LOL

If you think that is terrible, traditionally they don't use perfume but buckets of water. Splash it on the girl.

Pic from hungaria dot org.

Perhaps in the villages they still practice the old tradition. I'm happy with the perfume sprinkling. Stinky or not.

So once the sprinkling is done. The lady will give the guy a decorated egg or chocolate. I would rather do the sprinkling and get the chocolate. :D