Easter Egg

A decorated egg — traditionally hard-boiled and painted or dyed, now often made of chocolate or plastic — that is a central symbol of Easter representing new life, rebirth, and the resurrection of Christ. The Easter egg has pre-Christian roots in spring equinox fertility symbolism, and Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic communities maintain the tradition of elaborately hand-painted eggs (pysanky in Ukraine, kraslice in Czech tradition), while the chocolate Easter egg has dominated Western consumer culture since the 19th century.