From chocolate egg hunts to scuba-diving bunnies, the UAE is packed full of Easter festivities. Here’s our pick.
Easter falls on Sunday April 20 this year, and it’s a time for jubilation and the ushering-in of the start of spring and new life. A tradition celebrated in many ways around the world, and not only by Christians (after all, who can resist a chocolate egg?), we take a look at where you can hunt down the Easter Bunny in our very own city – and how the event is celebrated around the world.
The bunny
The Easter bunny will be popping up all over the country and this year, you can have your picture taken with him in the lobby of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. But he doesn’t just visit kids – you’ll also see him dive among 65,000 marine animals in the Ambassador Lagoon.
Free for hotel guests, Dhs40 for non-guests (including Dhs10 entry to Poseidon Café). Photos 10am-noon, scuba diving 1pm-1.30pm. Thu April 17-Sun April 20. Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah. www.atlantisthepalm.com (04 426 1387).
A special brunch
Easter is a time for families to get together, so why not enjoy an Easter brunch at Le Meridien on Sunday April 20? The festivities will take place across La Brasserie, NRG, Pappagallo and Le Bistrot in the courtyard. The brunch will host a petting zoo, Greek entertainer Leonidias, a Greek band, live cooking stations, a bouncy castle, egg hunt and face painting.
1pm-6pm, Dhs299 unlimited house beverages, Dhs199 soft drinks. Children Dhs115. Le Meridien, Al Zahiyah (02 644 6666).
Egg-decorating
The Holiday Inn is offering children an Easter-egg decoration workshop on Friday April 18. For Dhs80, children will get to participate and decorate their very own egg – the proceeds of the workshop will be donated to the IHG Shelter in a Storm.
12.30pm, Holiday Inn, 31st Street, between Airport & Muroor Road (02 657 4888).
Easter menu
Savour an Easter-themed menu at Mercure Abu Dhabi’s Le Beaujolais. A selection of French dishes with an Easter theme will have you feeling eggstatic.
From Dhs240, Mercure Hotel Abu Dhabi, Hamdan Street (02 633 3555).
Easter egg hunt
On Sunday, take the kids down to Yas Links, where there is an Easter-egg hunt across the venue’s lawns from 11am until 2pm. Children can have fun searching for the eggs while parents look on in this picturesque location.
From Dhs225 for buffet, children under six free, email reservations@yaslinks.com (02 810 7710).
Chase the bunny
The Westin is hosting the Easter bunny on Saturday, April 19 and children will be able to chase him all over the green.
4pm-6pm, The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa (02 616 9999).
AD Easter brunches
Beach Rotana
On Sunday April 20, Beach Rotana is hosting a special Easter brunch across Essence, Brauhaus and Benihana.
Al Zahiyah (02 697 9000).
Dusit Thani
Face painting, visits from the Easter bunny, an egg hunt and baking fun is all part of Dusit Thani’s Easter brunch in Urban Kitchen on both Saturday & Sunday.
Muroor Road (02 698 8888).
Le Royal Meridien
You can choose from two brunches at Le Royal Meridien on Friday April 18 – Cafe Palmier is hosting an indoor brunch and PJ O’Reilly’s is hosting a poolside picnic. Both have access to a bouncy castle and an Easter-egg hunt.
Al Markaziyah (02 674 2020).
How the world celebrates Easter
Germany
German households decorate their homes with hand-painted eggs that are then hung on twigs to create an Easter tree. In Bavaria, Southeast Germany, towns are decorated in ribbons and local people make an Easter Lamb Cake – a lamb-shaped sponge with honey and hazelnuts.
UK
Traditions here are a mix of religious and folkloric heritage. Easter is also related to a celebration of the arrival of spring, and so colourful Easter chocolate eggs are exchanged. Hot cross buns are also part of a British celebration – these are teacakes made with raisins that are decorated or scored with a cross.
USA
New York holds an annual Easter bonnet parade, a tradition dating back to the mid 1800s, when the upper crust of society would walk around town showing off their fancy new hats on Easter Sunday. The Easter bunny forms a major part of the festival’s traditions in America, brought here from the early Dutch German settlers who told stories of the bunny delivering eggs to children.
France
In Haux in Nantes, the town gets together to make one enormous omelette – up to 4,500 eggs will be used to create a dish that feeds 1,000 people.
India
In Goa, street plays and colourful carnivals are a big part of the festivities. People bake or buy Easter cakes for their loved ones, and exchange colourful lanterns.
Greece
Over on the island of Corfu, you’ll need to mind your head – it’s traditional here for people to throw clay pots out of their windows on Easter Saturday.
