Grateley House School has been following an old Easter tradition of dyeing and decorating chicken’s eggs.

Students dyed the eggs using natural materials/plants which were wrapped around the eggs to create detailed patterns. The eggs were then boiled with onion skins or shredded red cabbage for overall colour.

This way of decorating Easter eggs is still very popular in Lithuania where colourful Easter eggs called Margučiai still decorate the Easter tables and are eaten for breakfast. People also give the eggs as presents and play games such as egg tapping or egg rolling.

The tradition was practised in England until WWII. The first chocolate eggs appeared in this country in 1873 which may well be the reason why the tradition of decorating real chicken eggs for Easter died out; however, it is still alive and well at GHS!