My Family’s Easter Traditions – Easter in Upper Austria
There are a few times a year when I really miss home. The Easter brunch with our whole family including aunties, cousins and all their kids (normally approx. 30 people) is one of them. Meeting my extended family and spending a fabulous day of fun with great food (and drink) is one of the highlights every spring.
Lots of preparation goes into this Easter brunch. Every family member prepares a dish or two to bring to the event to lighten the load of our host, my auntie Helene. Approximately 100 eggs need to be hard boiled, coloured and decorated and chocolate bunnies, eggs as well as other little Easter presents are prepared to be hidden for the big family Easter hunt.
At 11am the whole spectacle begins. Kids are kept in the house, curtains will be drawn and the “Easter bunnies” are hard at work hiding all the goodies in the huge garden. 11:15am, the hunt begins and all members and dogs try to find as many eggs and hidden treasures as fast as possible (we normally find some leftovers weeks and months afterwards!).
After the hunt, the prized objects are divided evenly between the kids and the coloured eggs are placed in a huge bowl in the centre of the table alongside an Osterzopf (a large braided sweet bread ), cold tongue (an Easter delicacy eaten with fresh horseradish, sweet bread and eggs), salads, cold meats, sweet and savoury home-made dishes and much more – always enough to feed an army.
Now the best part begins: The battle for the winning egg!
Each family member picks an egg with the tip pointing up and prepares for battle. You starts by choosing an opponent and hitting their egg tip with his own egg tip, with the goal of breaking the opponent’s shell. Then they are allowed to use their ‘bottom’ to attempt to break your ‘bottom.’ If you manage to smash both the tip and bottom of your opponent’s egg without your egg breaking you have won the 1st round and you continue looking for other battle partners around the table till your egg gets smashed (ready to be eaten). Then you can relax and start your brunch. As everybody eats at least 2-3 eggs during our long drawn-out breakfast we continue to battle with new eggs pursuing to acquire the “invincible, most resistant Easter egg".
Needless to say, there is a lot of laughter and excitement around our Easter feast which then continues till mid-afternoon when we all head out for an Easter stroll. We catch up on all the recent news from all different families and the bravest members of our family, the die-hards, take a dip in the natural pond. Normally, my husband, a Brit, raised swimming in the North Sea is the first dare devil to jump in (accompanied by at least one dog!) leaving our Austrian relatives, who are spoiled by warm lake temperatures, way behind.
Easter Sunday with our family is the most brilliant day and a wonderful opportunity to see all our distant relatives again.
What to do at Easter around our Melrose Bed & Breakfast?
While we will miss out on this great traditional family gathering this year, we are busy here to prepare for this weekend’s Easter activities in the Scottish Borders.
Join the Abbotsford Historic Easter Egg Hunt or the Easter Eggstravaganza at Traquair House. Paxton House is also hosting its yearly Easter Extravaganza promising a lot of fun for the whole family.
If you fancy a more relaxed break there is always the possibility to visit our numerous stately homes, castles and gardens which are beautiful at this time of year.
Cycling and walking around our Melrose Boutique Bed & Breakfast:
Why not enjoy the beautiful views and a great breakfast at Bowden House Bed & Breakfast Melrose for a spring cycling (i.e 4 Abbeys Cycling Route) or walking tour (i.e. Eildon Hills Path) - the perfect alternative to a traditional Easter getaway.
We wish you all a Very Happy Easter weekend and look forward to welcoming you to Bowden House Bed & Breakfast in Melrose very soon.