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

Wikipedia: Easter

Historical Figure

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

From Poland's drenching water fights to Luxembourg's UNESCO hopping procession, Easter Monday is celebrated in wildly different ways around the world. This 2026 guide covers 10 of the most surprising traditions — including the one country where Easter Monday outranks Easter Sunday itself. Be the 1st to vote for the tradition you'd most want to experience, and subscribe for more cultural guides like this one.

2026160 viewsApr 4, 2026 Updated Oct 3, 2026

Top10Grid rankings are decided by votes, not algorithms — use the buttons below to move this list.

Person

Rankings featuring Top 10 Easter Monday Traditions Around the World (2026 Guide) across Top10Grid

Be the first

Top10Grid Editorial

Editorial team

Current Rankings

0
#1
In Greece, Easter Monday Is Bigger Than Easter Sunday
Known as "Bright Monday" (Deutera tis Lambris), Greek Easter Monday marks the first day of Bright Week. Families flock to the countryside for lamb picnics, and in Corfu, the tradition of throwing clay pots from balconies draws thousands of spectators.
Details →
0
#2
The Echternach Dancing Procession
In Luxembourg, the Echternach hopping procession is a UNESCO-listed event where thousands of participants hop through the streets in synchronized rows. Dating to the Middle Ages, it honors Saint Willibrord and draws up to 14,000 dancers annually on Whit Tuesday.
Details →
0
#3
Australia Added a Third Rabbit to Easter Monday
Since the 1990s, Australians have been replacing the Easter Bunny with the Easter Bilby to raise awareness about the endangered bilby and the ecological damage caused by feral rabbits. Chocolate bilbies now outsell bunnies in many Australian shops.
Details →
0
#4
The White House Easter Egg Roll
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.
Details →
0
#5
Poland's Smigus-Dyngus Water Festival
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.
Details →
0
#6
Hungary's Sprinkling Day
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.
Details →
0
#7
The Philippines' Flagellation Rituals
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.
Details →
0
#8
Sweden's Easter Witches
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.
Details →
0
#9
Bermuda's Good Friday Kite Festival
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.
Details →
0
#10
Finland's Palm Sunday Witchcraft
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.
Details →

Current Rankings

Share this list

160 views

Get ranking updates

Get the weekly history rundown

Only lists published since the last email. Join the early readers.

Only Top 10s published in the last 7 days
One email a week — and none at all in a week with nothing new
Unsubscribe in one click

No spam. One email per week. Unsubscribe anytime.

Readers Also Ranked

More Lists Like This

Top 10 Richest People in History (Inflation-Adjusted)

#1Mansa Musa
#2Augustus Caesar
#3John D. Rockefeller

Top 10 Bizarre Easter Celebrations From History

#1Easter Gambling — Medieval Throwing of the Dice
#2Pace Egging — Northern England
#3The Soviet Anti-Easter Campaigns

Top 10 Most Extraordinary Fabergé Easter Eggs

#1The Twilight of the Imperial Eggs
#2The Steel Military Egg (1916)
#3The Lost Eggs — Eight Imperial Eggs Still Missing

Top 10 Most Infamous Cults in History

#1Peoples Temple (Jim Jones)
#2Heaven's Gate (Marshall Applewhite)
#3Aum Shinrikyo (Shoko Asahara)

Frequently asked questions

What is Easter Monday and why is it celebrated?

Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday, commemorating the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene and the women, as described in Christian scriptures; it is observed as a public holiday in many countries.

When is Easter Monday in 2026?

Easter Monday in 2026 falls on Monday, April 6, 2026, following Easter Sunday on April 5.

What are some common traditions associated with Easter Monday?

Common traditions include egg rolling (e.g., White House Egg Roll in the U.S.), water fights (e.g., Śmigus-Dyngus in Poland), family outings, and continued feasting in many cultures.

Is Easter Monday a public holiday in the United States?

Easter Monday is not a federal public holiday in the United States, but it is observed as a holiday by some schools, businesses, and in certain states or communities with large Christian populations.

How is Easter Monday different from Easter Sunday?

Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ with church services and family gatherings, while Easter Monday focuses on related biblical accounts (the empty tomb) and often features secular traditions like outdoor games and community events.