The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

EASTER MORNING RITUAL (OR CUSTOM)

ON EASTER MORNING, AFTER RESURRECTION MASS, THE FAMILY WOULD ALL
GATHER FOR BREAKFAST, MADE UP OF THE THINGS FOUND IN THE SWIECONKA
(EASTER BASKET BLESSED AT CHURCH ON HOLY SATURDAY).
MY FATHER WOULD TAKE ONE OF THE BOILED, PEELED EGGS (BLESSED) AND CUT
IT INTO FIVE PIECES--ONE FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. THEN HE
WOULD TAKE A PIECE OF RAW HORSERADISH (SCRAPED CLEAN THE PREVIOUS
DAY) AND GIVE EACH OF US A PIECE OF IT. A LOAF OF RYE BREAD WAS CUT
AND DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF US (IT WAS A TINY LOAF, MADE ESPECIALLY
FOR THE EASTER BASKET), AS WAS THE KIELBASA, BUTTER AND COFFEE CAKE.
AFTER EACH OF US HAD AT LEAST A TINY PIECE OF EACH OF THE ABOVE, WE
WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE LARGER PORTIONS OF THE NON-BLESSED FOOD.
HOWEVER, ONE OF THE RITUALS THAT MY DAD WOULD GO THROUGH WAS TAKING
A WHOLE, BLESSED EGG (BOILED AND PEELED) AND RUBBING IT ON HIS JAW,
FROM LEFT EAR TO HIS CHIN THEN TO THE RIGHT EAR, THEN BACK AGAIN TO
THE LEFT. THIS, HE TOLD US, WOULD WARD OFF TOOTHACHES.

Submitter comment: AS FAR AS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE, MY FATHER GOT THIS CUSTOM
FROM HIS PARENTS WHO WERE BORN AND RAISED IN POLAND. MY FATHER CAME
TO AMERICA IN 1914, AT THE AGE OF !7.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FAMILY UNITY ; FOOD CUSTOM ; SWIECZONKA

Date learned: 04-00-1965