Egg rolling

Hillsides and pace egging

In the United Kingdom, sending eggs down grassy slopes is known as pace-egging, a name rooted in the Hebrew word for Passover. For centuries, people in northern England boiled eggs wrapped in onion skins to produce a mottled gold hue, though painted shells are common today. Lancashire hosts famous gatherings at sites like Holcombe Hill and Avenham Park in Preston, where chocolate eggs are now rolled as well. Local folklore warned that broken shells must be crushed to stop witches turning them into boats. In Scotland, pace-egging takes place on hills and coastal links from Shetland down to the Borders.

The White House lawn

In the United States, children roll eggs on the South Lawn of the White House each Easter Monday, hosted by the president and first lady. Young participants use long-handled spoons to steer hard-boiled eggs across the grass. The gathering features live music, costumed characters, book readings by guest speakers, and displays of decorated eggs. While earlier games took place at the Capitol and across Washington, an 1876 ban on using congressional grounds as playgrounds led President Rutherford B. Hayes to welcome the event to the White House in 1878. The gathering became open to Black children starting in 1954.

European and Egyptian games

Other nations observe egg rolling with their own rules and setups. In Germany, players race eggs down sloped tracks constructed from sticks to see which finishes fastest. Danish tradition sees decorated eggs rolled down grassy or forested slopes, especially around the town of Køge, where whole eggs are eaten once the contest ends. In Lithuania, competitors claim any eggs struck by their own rolling egg. Egyptian children set up rows of bright yellow and red eggs, aiming their shots so that cracking an opponent's egg allows them to win the entire row.

Christian meaning and Lent

Christian theology gives deep meaning to Easter eggs. The shell, yolk, and white represent three parts in one whole, echoing the Trinity. The egg itself represents the sealed tomb of Jesus, while rolling it evokes the angel moving the stone away from the entrance upon his resurrection. Traditionally, believers refrained from eggs, meat, dairy, and wine throughout the forty days of Lent. When the fasting period ends and Eastertide begins, eggs return to the table, making their decoration and rolling a joyful celebration of new life and the breaking of the fast.

How Egg rolling is kept

Participants prepare by boiling and decorating eggs, often colouring them with dye, paint, or onion skins. Players then assemble on grassy hills, designated park lawns, or tracks made of sticks. Children roll their eggs down slopes or push them forward across flat grass using long spoons. In some places, the aim is to send the egg the farthest or fastest without cracking it. In other versions, players aim at target eggs, winning whatever their egg touches or breaks. Once the games conclude, unbroken eggs are frequently peeled and eaten by the players.

When and where

The games take place during Eastertide in spring. Depending on the country and local tradition, rolling occurs on Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, or Easter Monday, marking the conclusion of the forty-day Lenten fast.

Egg rolling is played in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, and Egypt. It is held on public park slopes, grassy hills, coastal links, and national landmarks such as the White House South Lawn.

What Egg rolling means

For Christian communities, the egg represents the tomb of Jesus, and rolling it symbolizes the angel rolling away the tomb stone. The three parts of an egg, namely the shell, yolk, and white, also represent the Trinity. Rolling and eating eggs marks the end of Lenten abstinence from eggs and dairy, celebrating the resurrection and spiritual renewal.

On the table

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Decorated eggs
• Eggs boiled in onion skins
• Chocolate eggs

Days Egg rolling is marked

Questions people ask about Egg rolling

See also

Good FridayA solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.Mother's DayA worldwide annual celebration dedicated to mothers, maternal bonds and family careHoly WeekThe solemn seven days leading to Easter, recalling the final week and Passion of JesusChristmas EveThe evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.

Good reading and sources

• Easter days out in BritainThe Guardian, Article
• Easter days out in BritainThe Guardian, Article

• Egg rolling on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.