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Food plays a prominent role in any holiday, and Easter is no exception. For many Americans, Easter dinner includes a hearty helping of ham. But few know the first recorded public blessing of Easter ham occurred in the tenth century.

The pig has always been a symbol of good luck and prosperity among Indo-Europeans (hence the practice of saving money in a piggy bank). In Hungary, the highest card (ace) in card games is called "pig."

The age-old custom of eating pig or boar meat was probably brought to America by the English, Scandinavians, Germans, and Slavs, who still eat pork at Easter. In Transylvania, ham is wrapped in bread dough before being baked, and in Hungary, a meatloaf made of chopped pork, ham, eggs, bread, and spices crowns the Easter feast.

In addition to ham, pastries and bread also figure prominently in Easter fare all over the world. In Russia, paska is made of flour, cottage cheese, sugar, raisins, eggs and milk, and then molded and baked with a cross on each side.

In Germany and Austria, an Easter bread with raisins (stollen) is baked in twisted or braided strands. Poland's mazurki are sweet cakes made with honey and filled with nuts and fruit.

According to Sue Ellen Thompson's Holiday Symbols 1998, hot cross buns have a long springtime history. First-century pagans worshiped the goddess Eostre, after whom Easter was named, and served her small cakes, often decorated with a cross, at their yearly spring celebration. Today, hot cross buns—small buns decorated with a sweet icing in the shape of a cross—are associated with Good Friday.

Symbolism plays an important role in Easter celebrations. Here are some of the best-known:

Lamb: This symbol representing Christ is depicted carrying the flag of victory in many central and eastern European homes. John the Baptist described Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The Passover lamb (Exodus 12) foreshadowed Jesus' sacrifice.

Lamb is a traditional Easter entree. Pastries, confections, or even butter molds in the shape of lambs often are part of the traditional feast.

Lion: In ancient times, people believed the legend that lion cubs were born dead. After they were three days old, it was thought that the lioness breathed on them and brought them to life—a parallel to Jesus' three days in the tomb before his resurrection.

In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. C. S. Lewis allegorically portrayed Christ in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as the mighty lion Aslan, who was killed and rose again.

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