For centuries, eggs were among the foods forbidden by the Church during Lent, so it was a special treat to have them again at Easter. In Slavic countries, baskets of food including eggs are traditionally taken to church to be blessed on Holy Saturday and are a part of the Easter meal.
The people of Central Europe have a long tradition of elaborately decorated Easter eggs. Polish, Slavic and Ukrainine peoples create amazingly intricate designs on eggs. Yugoslavian Easter eggs usually bear the initials "XV" for "Christ is Risen", a traditional Easter greeting.
The Russians, during the Czars, celebrated Easter more lavishly then Christmas. The Russian royal family carried the tradition to great lengths, giving exquisitely detailed jeweled eggs made by goldsmith, Carl Faberge, from 1880's until 1917.
In Germany, as in other central European countries, the eggs that go into Easter foods are not broken, but are blown out and the empty shells are then painted and decorated. and hung on small trees. Moravian village girls carried a small tree hung with decorated eggs from house to house for good luck. The egg shell decorated tree is one of the many traditions brought to American by the German settlers, especially the Pennsylvania Dutch. These German settlers also brought with them the fable of a rabbit who delivered the Easter eggs to the children.
Clean unblemished eggs. -- Do not use soap to wash the eggs. This will strip natural oils off of the eggs and thus repel the dye.
Beewax
Stylus -- This is a handmade or store bought writing instrument, tradationally known as a "kistka" or "pysaltse".
Dyes -- Caution, if you are using a non-edible dye, be sure the eggs are used for decorative purposes only.
Start by drawing the first lines of the design on the egg using a light pencil. Don't erase. A rubber band can be used to ensure straight lines.
Use a candle to heat the stylus, scoop beeswax into the cone of the stylus and begin to write on the egg. Keep the tip of the stylus perpendicular to the egg as you cover the pencil lines. Avoid overheating the stylus or using too much wax. Dip the egg into the yellow dye and remove when the desired color is reached. Pat dry.
On the yellow background, draw the lines in your design that should maintain a yellow color. Dip the egg into the next darker color. Repeat this step, gradullay building the design with each color. Work from lightest to darkest colors. Pat dry between each color.
Dip the egg into the darkest color. All areas of the egg not covered by the preceding dying steps will become this "background" color. Place the completed egg into a warm (250 degree F) oven for a minute or two to melt the wax. When the wax begins to shine, remove egg from oven and wipe with a soft rag, polishing the egg.
Simmer the eggs in water for 20 mins with a teaspoon of vingar and your choice of the following:
Fresh Oregano or Mint ---- beige
Red cabbage leaves -- blue
Strong coffee -- brown
Walnut shells -- buff
Spinach -- gray/gold to pink
Carrot tops -- green/yellow
Yellow Delicious apple peels -- lavendar
Onion skins -- orange
Orange peels or Thyme -- yellow
