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Lana Mihajlović posted an update
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Scoolinar
Easter in the Colors of Childhood
The tradition of coloring eggs for Easter isn’t exclusive to the Balkans — it exists in many parts of the world. In some countries, it’s deeply tied to religious practices, symbolizing life, resurrection, and faith, while in others, it’s more of a playful custom, focused on creativity and family fun. Although the custom is deeply rooted in the Orthodox tradition in Serbia, it carries much more than religion — it holds togetherness, joy, and a special kind of family magic.
In our home, egg coloring isn’t just a task — it’s an event. Every year, my mother-in-law and I turn the kitchen into a little art workshop. Today we spent several hours with brushes, onion skins, wax, and — of course — lots of smiles. We dyed nearly 70 eggs (there used to be 100 ), each one with its own little story. It may sound like a lot, but they’re not just for us — these colorful eggs are shared with children in the neighborhood, with family, friends… everyone gets a piece of our joy.
Tradition says that the first eggs to be dyed are red, on Good Friday. The very first red egg is called Čuvarkuća (the Guardian of the Home). This egg is not eaten or given away, but kept for a whole year as a silent protector of the household. It’s believed to bring health, peace, and prosperity.
And then, once Easter arrives, it’s time for another beloved tradition — egg tapping. Everyone picks their “champion” egg and takes turns tapping it against someone else’s. The winner is the one whose egg stays uncracked — strong and proud, as if it’s holding on to the mystery of Easter.
In those moments, no matter our age, we’re all kids again. Children of tradition, of play, of color and faith. And that’s why, year after year, we prepare the dyes, boil the eggs, and with love, turn them into symbols of joy.
In this post, I’m sharing some of our Easter eggs from previous years — this year’s batch is still drying, and I’ll be happy to show them off on Sunday!
What about your country or region — are there any special customs or traditions you celebrate? Not necessarily for Easter — I’d love to hear about anything that brings people together and is passed down through generations. Share your stories!
Maloles Muñoz, Somayeh Ghasemzadeh and 7 others12 Comments-
Level:
Scoolinar
¡Qué belleza! Son preciosos, Lana. Gracias por compartir este momento tan familiar y por acercarnos un poco la cultura y las tradiciones de Serbia (por favor, traductor, no cambies esto, eh?).
Aquí en España no es tradición, aunque últimamente comienza a verse un poco más, igual que la costumbre anglosajona de esconderlos por el jardín y jugar con los niños a encontrarlos. Aquí lo verdaderamente tradicional son las procesiones, las hay por toda España, algunas de ellas muy famosas, sobre todo en Andalucía. Con un sentido profundamente religioso, aunque yo no soy la persona más indicada para hablar de ello, que no soy creyente. También es tradicional, en algunos lugares, las tamborradas (se toca de forma continua y muy ruidosamente tambores para representar el temblor de la tierra tras la muerte de Jesucristo). Y por supuesto está la tradición gastronómica. El potaje de Vigilia (un guiso de garbanzos, espinacas, bacalao y huevo), y los dilces: torrijas, pestiños, leche frita y las monas de Pascua, que son figuras de chocolate.
Deseando ver los huevos que habéis pintado este año tu suegra y tú 😍
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@undefined Thank you so much for your beautiful comment and for sharing a piece of your own traditions—it’s amazing how much we can learn from each other. 🥰
Although I’m not very religious myself, I love honoring holidays as special moments to slow down, be present, and share time with family and friends. Having grown up in Croatia, where the Catholic Church is more present, and now living in Serbia with the Orthodox tradition, I actually celebrate both sets of dates! They don’t usually fall on the same day, so I get the joy of experiencing twice. 😊
For me, it’s not about the rules or the calendar, but about love. I can’t stand anything that divides people—whether by religion, nationality, or skin color. It doesn’t feel natural. I don’t really believe in borders or labels… I’m just a citizen of planet Earth. 🌍❤️
Sending you a big hug from here, and I promise I’ll post the eggs my mother-in-law and I painted this year very soon! 😄🐣🎨
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Scoolinar
@Lana Mihajlović qué bonito eso que dices, …estoy tan de acuerdo 🥰🥰🥰
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@undefined P.S. This time the translation was correct hahahaha
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Scoolinary Team
How lovely everything you shared is! I found it so special how you turn something as simple as dyeing eggs into a moment full of memories, family bonding, and joy. It’s beautiful to see the little ones get involved and the grown-ups reconnect with their childhood, all while playing with colors and kitchen ingredients. Seventy eggs? That sounds like a full-on creativity party!
I was really intrigued by the tradition of the “čuvarkuća,” the red egg that’s not eaten and is meant to protect the home. I’d never heard of anything like that before. Do you usually decorate that red egg in a special way, or do you leave it plain to preserve its meaning? And in your family, do you have a favorite technique for dyeing the eggs or a color that you always have to include?
Lana, thank you for sharing such beautiful family traditions! ❤️
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Scoolinar
@undefined Thank you so much dear! 💕 It truly warms my heart to know that the joy and meaning behind our little egg-painting tradition came through. You’re absolutely right—it’s not just about the eggs, but about the laughter, the stories, and that quiet kind of happiness when generations come together over something so simple yet so meaningful.
As for the čuvarkuća, it’s usually left plain, in a deep red color, symbolizing life and protection. Some families decorate it, but in ours, we keep it unadorned to honor its symbolic strength. It stays in the home until next Easter, often tucked on a shelf or in the kitchen as a quiet guardian.
This Sunday, I’ll take a photo of our čuvarkuća in its special spot at home—it really has its own place of honor, and I’d love to share it with you. ❤️
We always try to include red, of course, but every year we also experiment—with onion skins, beet juice, turmeric, and now even a bit of shimmer here and there. And we are always testing new painting techniques. There’s always that one egg that turns out unexpectedly stunning, and it somehow becomes everyone’s favorite. 😊-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
@lanamihajlovic Lana, what a beautiful thing you shared. I love how every detail is filled with meaning and care. That image of the red čuvarkuća simple yet powerful, a silent guardian of the home felt deeply moving to me. I love that it has its own place of honor; it’s almost like another member of the family!☺️
And what a wonderful blend of tradition and creativity in the way you dye the eggs. I find it so lovely that every year there’s one favorite egg, as if the magic always finds a new way to show up.
I’ll be delighted to see the photo of the čuvarkuća when you share it. Thank you for letting us be part of something so meaningful and heartfelt!❤️
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Espectacular.
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@Antonio Salvador Moreno Carretero thank you 🤗
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Preciosos
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@Mercedes Delgado de Miguel thank you dear ❤️
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Sous Chef
Qué preciosidad Lana! es una obra de arte. La historia que hay detrás me parece de lo mas bonita. Qué forma de celebrar la Pascua mas especial. Estoy deseando ver los huevos de este año que seguro son tan bonitos como estos. Gracias por compartirlo. 😍🙏🙌
En España tenemos otras costumbres, ya te lo ha dicho Beatriz. Yo acabo de compartir una receta muy típica de mi tierra para estas fechas que acaban de terminar.
Feliz Pascua de Resurrección Lana. Un abrazo grande 🤗❤
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