Holy Saturday tradition: Blessing the baskets
One treasured and long-standing Easter tradition belongs to Poland with its Swieconka — pronounced "sh-vee-en-soon-kah"– or blessing of the baskets.
Polish Catholics bring their baskets to the church on Holy Saturday, where they are blessed and then brought back home and remain untouched until Easter Sunday. The baskets are often quite beautiful and part of the charm of the ceremony is viewing others' renditions; the baskets are filled with ceremonial foods that symbolize various facets of the holiday.
The baskets are made of wood or twigs and lined with white linen or lace and decorated with ribbon and sprigs of boxwood. The food includes eggs, bread, cheese, butter, ham, horseradish, and salt, among other variations.
Eggs symbolize life and the resurrection; the butter is often carved into the shape of a lamb to represent the Lamb of God; bread is for new life ("Bread of Life"); horseradish or vinegar is a reminder of the Passion of Christ; the meats represent abundance and generosity; and cheese represents moderation.
Some include candles, cakes and pastries, wine, and even a little candy. There are often a number of eggs, some colored and at least one left white. The blessing, which used to take place in the home, includes prayers for the contents, including for the meats, eggs, and cakes/breads.