Today is parade day but it's raining and it's very cold , I've even got the fire going. No school for my boys today and tomorrow is the last day of school before the easter vacation. My kids are looking so forward to all the easter eggs and presents that follow the easter tradition here in Crete.
First off everybody fasts until easter day and boy is that a big event it is the the day that the poor lambs go to slaughter, I dont eat lamb myself I find it fatty and stringy but the meat itself does give a wonderful flavor to other foods that are cooked in it's jucies.
All the housewifes boil a bucket full of eggs and then later on they are left to soak in red,green,blue or yellow dye , after dinner theses eggs are past around and in a chain sequence we bang the eggs on each other traying to brake the other persons egg the one left with the whole egg wins the easter prize. The god parents job around easter is to buy a candle for their god children this candle they take to church on easter and light it there and then we walk around the village with candles this happens at midnight it is a very beautiful thing to take part in they light a big bomfire in wich a fake Judas doll is hanging in a noose, I find that a bit distubing but the teenage kids have fun with it they ride around the naighbour villages trying to set fire to each others judas so in every village you will see a gang of teenagers protecting there Judas until midnight. The main street outside the church is filled with popcorn vendors and candyfloss and other homemade treats, after the candle lit walk we keep our candles burning we take a flame home with us as we enter our doorway we hold up the candle and from the sut from the flame we mark a cross this is to protect us from bad, then we light from the flame we have a oil based candle so that the flame stays lit for as long as we can keep it lit. I myself am not greek orthadox but I always take part for my children are. My mother always visits me at easter she loves the whole tradition and thankfully she will be arriving this year on easter day.