Top 10 Easter Monday Traditions Around the World (2026 Guide)

Held on the White House South Lawn since 1878, this American tradition sees children racing to roll hard-boiled eggs with long-handled spoons. President Rutherford B. Hayes hosted the first event after Congress banned games on the Capitol grounds.

On Easter Monday in Poland, people drench each other with water in a tradition called Smigus-Dyngus (Wet Monday). Originally boys would splash girls to court them; today it is an all-out water fight involving buckets, water guns, and fire hoses in city streets.

In Hungary, Easter Monday is "Sprinkling Day" (Locsolkodas) where men visit women and recite a poem before sprinkling them with perfume or water. In return, they receive painted eggs, food, and drinks. The tradition symbolizes fertility and spring renewal.

In San Fernando, Pampanga, Easter week includes extreme devotional acts where penitents are nailed to crosses. While the Catholic Church discourages the practice, it draws international attention and continues as a deeply personal expression of faith.

Swedish children dress as "Easter witches" (Paskkarringar) in headscarves and long skirts, going door to door trading willow twigs decorated with feathers for candy. The tradition recalls a folk belief that witches flew to a mountain to meet the devil before Easter.

Bermudians celebrate Easter weekend by flying elaborate homemade kites, a tradition symbolizing Christ's ascension to heaven. The kites feature colorful geometric designs on wooden frames, and the annual competition at Horseshoe Bay draws hundreds of entries.

In Finland and parts of Sweden, children go door to door on Palm Sunday dressed as Easter witches, waving decorated willow branches and chanting blessings to ward off evil spirits. The tradition blends pre-Christian Nordic folk practices with Christian Easter observance.