A strange mixture of stiff upper lip and British eccentricity means that we often celebrate major holidays or events with a twist.
And Easter is no different. Yes, there are the unavoidable Easter egg hunts, the Easter Bunny and chocolate galore, but many parts of the UK like to celebrate this time of year in their own unique way.
So if you fancy something different this year, or just want a way to burn off all those sweet treats, why not take a look at some of the events below and plan Easter 2015 around them?
1. Easter Egg Rolling, Preston
Forget hunting for eggs; why not race them with the people of Preston? All you have to do is turn up, make your way to the top of the hill and let your egg do the talking.
Oh, and we recommend staying in our Preston Travelodge to ensure your egg gets a proper night’s rest before the big race!
2. The Hot Cross Bun Ceremony, London
I don’t know about you, but my favourite part of Easter isn’t the chocolate – it’s the hot cross buns! So if you’re like me and want to celebrate this baked beauty why not head down to The Widow’s Son pub in London for a ceremony dating back to the early 19th century?
Legend has it the building’s original owner (a widow) popped a hot cross bun outside on Good Friday for her sailor son who was returning home for Easter. Unfortunately, he never returned, but the widow continued this tradition every year until she died and the property became a pub.
Ever since, the landlord has upheld the tradition and each Easter a member of the Royal Navy is invited to place a bun into a net that hangs above the bar.
Of course, this is also the perfect time to explore the capital, so why not grab a room in a London Travelodge and make a weekend of it?
3. Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking, Leicestershire
We’ve saved the weirdest till last (as you can probably tell by the name) so pay attention as this might take some explaining.
Taking place every Easter Monday in Hallerton, this tradition includes a number of different layers of celebration. First, a procession is led through the village by the ‘Warrener’ – someone who, among other things, boasts a hare-topped staff.
Next, the pie in question is blessed at the local church and then passed around the crowd to be eaten before the ‘big match’ kicks off.
Here’s where the bottles come in, and by bottles we mean wooden casks filled with ale (don’t ask) which are then thrown (not kicked, again, don’t ask) back and forth between Team Hallerton and rival village Medbourne before a winner is decided.
So if you fancy joining in or watching from a safe distance (injuries are common) check out our Leicester Travelodge for somewhere to take in the unusual celebrations!
