What is Good Friday, why don’t we eat meat and what is special about a child born on that day?

Easter weekend is upon us and it is almost time to get tucked in to chocolate eggs galore, but what exactly are the traditions and superstitions surrounding Easter? Let’s start at the beginning of the weekend with Good Friday.

Good Friday is the day that Christians remember Jesus Christ died on the cross. It also marks the beginning of the Easter weekend and the end of Lent.

This feast day was originally a pagan celebration, named after the goddess of spring, Eostre. It was adopted by Christianity, and now in the modern day UK, celebrations typically incorporate both origins.

Easter Sunday marks the day Jesus rose from the dead and it the main belief that the Christian church is founded upon. It changes yearly due to following the lunar calendar rather than the solar one we follow daily.

Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the full moon at the end of March known as the Paschal Full Moon. If this full moon falls on a Sunday, then Easter is celebrated the following Sunday.

This year the Paschal Full Moon falls late, on April 16, giving us Easter Sunday on the following day. In the run up to the weekend, there are some do’s and don’ts that many of you may be aware of.

Starting with the traditions of the holiday:

Days off work

Good Friday is a bank holiday, so the majority of people have this day off work. The Monday after Easter is considered a bank holiday too – three cheers for a long weekend!

No meat on Good Friday

Many people of faith opt to fast completely on Good Friday. Within the Catholic faith, the only meat traditionally eaten on a Friday is fish and on this particular Friday, fasting involves the exclusion of all meats and dairy. This act of fast is to remember that Christ sacrificed his body and flesh to absolve the sins of humanity.

For those not fasting, but following the tradition, one meal at the time Jesus was said to have died on the cross (3pm) is the norm.

Sunday roasts

Whilst it may be chocolate eggs and hot cross buns for breakfast, on Easter Sunday the traditional meal to have for lunch is a simple dish of roast lamb, mint sauce and potatoes, followed by an assortment of desserts, or whatever chocolate eggs are left over!

Egg and spoon races

A firm primary school favourite – the humble egg and spoon race, where you compete to reach the finish line without dropping your egg from the spoon – is a fun activity to add a little competition to any Easter festivities.

Easter egg hunts

Another competition with an incentive. One person (hopefully not taking part) opts to hide the eggs around the house or garden, and those competing then search them out, with their win being the bounty they find.

Pet owners – be careful if you do hide choccies and always remember to clear up any that are not found in the hunt as chocolate is toxic to our four-legged friends!

Superstitions surrounding Good Friday and Easter:

No housework

Finally, a superstition we can all get on board with! If you want to prevent bad luck from coming your way, then traditionally, you should not wash any clothes or do any housework on Good Friday.

According to old catholic tradition, doing housework on this day will bring bad luck to your family.

Healer children

A child born on Good Friday and baptised on Easter Sunday is said to have the gift of healing.

No farming on Good Friday

The planting of crops is not advised on this day, as an old belief says that no iron should enter the ground (i.e. spade, fork etc.). Save your gardening chores for the following weekend, which should hopefully bring better weather in the depths of Springtime.

Eternal baked goods and hot cross buns

Hot cross buns baked on Good Friday were supposed to have magical powers. It is said that you could keep a hot cross bun which had been made on Good Friday for at least a year and it wouldn’t go mouldy.

Hardened old hot cross buns are also supposed to protect the house from fire. Sailors even took hot cross buns to sea with them to prevent shipwreck.

Buns baked on Good Friday and left to get hard could be grated up and put in some warm milk to stop an upset tummy – if you try this, please do let us know the results…

Haircuts to reduce dental bills and headaches

Having a hair cut on Good Friday will apparently prevent toothaches the rest of the year. Get yourself booked in for a last minute trim and see if this turns out to be a money saving tip!

Supposedly, Good Friday is also the best day to wash your hair to reduce headaches. Don’t be too hasty to ditch the paracetamol, though, just in case.

And finally according to superstition, a haircut for girls on this day will mean their locks will grow thicker and longer – twice as thick and long, some say but it is not so lucky for men. While cutting hair on the head is fine for the menfolk shaving is not good as it is considered unlucky to draw blood on the day of the crucifixion.

If you have your own traditions and superstitions, please do share them in the comments below.

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