Symbolic Foods
A typical Eastern European Easter basket would include a variety of symbolic foods, although families can personalize to their liking. There is a special blessing for meat, egg, cake, and bread, so baskets will most likely include these ingredients.
- Bacon (boczek/słonina, BOH-chek/swoh-NEE-nah) is a symbol of the abundance of God's mercy.
- Bread (chleb, hlehb) is usually a braided chałka, representing the staff of life given by God.
- Easter bread (babka, BAHB-kah) is a round cake of rich, eggy yeast dough with raisins that is reminiscent of the risen Lord.
- Butter (masło, MAHS-woh) is one of the dairy products included to celebrate the end of Lent and the richness of our salvation. The butter is often shaped into a lamb, which is symbolic of the Paschal Lamb, and is known as a baranek. Sometimes the baranek is made of dough, wood, or even plastic. It can also be made of sugar, when it is known as baranek cukrowy wielkanocny.
- Candles (swieca, SHVIEH-tsa) symbolize Jesus, the "light of the world," and can be lit when the priest blesses the baskets of food.
- Cheese (ser, SEHRR) is a symbol to remind Christians of moderation.
- Colored eggs (pisanki, pee-SAHN-kee), as well as uncolored hard-cooked eggs, indicate hope, new life, and Christ rising from his tomb.
- Ham (szynka, SHIN-kah), as well as other meats, symbolizes great joy and abundance in celebration of Christ's resurrection.
- Sausage links (kiełbasa, kyehw-BAH-sah) are symbolic of the chains of death that were broken when Jesus rose from the dead, as well as of God's generosity.
- Horseradish (chrzan, HZAHN) is a reminder of the bitterness and harshness of the Passion of Jesus, and the vinegar it is mixed with symbolizes the sour wine given to Jesus on the cross.
- Salt (sól, SOOL) is present to add zest to life and preserve us from corruption.
- Sweets (słodycze, swoh-DIH-cheh) suggest the promise of eternal life or good things to come.