How Immigrants Shaped America’s Holiday Traditions—from Chocolate Bunnies to Kwanzaa Candles
Immigrants and refugees from all over the world have brought their unique, diverse traditions to popular holidays in the United States. Some, like the Swahili names of Kwanzaa candles and the Scottish New Year’s Eve song Auld Lang Syne, have obvious international roots. Others, like mistletoe at Christmas, jack-o-lanterns at Halloween and chocolate bunnies at Easter, may surprise you with their origins. Read on to learn just some of the ways immigration has shaped our celebration of Labor Day, Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve and Easter.
EASTER
The story of the Easter Bunny was brought to the United States by German immigrants. The mythical bunny known as an “Oschter Haws” would lay eggs outside the homes of well-behaved children. Children began creating “nests” to encourage egg laying. Later, as the number of gifts left by the bunny increased, the nests evolved into the contemporary Easter basket. Chocolate bunnies, originally handmade in rabbit-shaped molds, were also imported by German immigrants.
Many traditional Easter treats were brought to the United States by immigrants. Russian American Sam Born founded the candy company that created Peeps, the chick-shaped marshmallow that many children (and some adults) enjoy around Easter time. Another immigrant entrepreneur, Bavarian-born William Schrafft, founded Schrafft’s Candy Company and is credited with the popularization and possibly the invention of the jellybean. Jellybeans themselves are likely a cross between Turkish Delight, a classic Middle Eastern delicacy, and Jordan almonds, an Italian treat with roots in Ancient Rome.
Easter lilies, a flower so associated with the holiday that they share a name, came to the United States from Japan by way of Bermuda. After a Japanese missionary to Bermuda gifted some lily bulbs to a local friend, the plant took off on the island. From there, the beautiful flowers found their way to the United States. Traditionally, the lilies are significant to Easter because their growth from a dormant bulb to a full flower echoes the resurrection of Christ and the return of spring.
