Hatching-Tide celebration

Hatching-Tide is a celebration of the birth of new life, and takes place in the Flostral season, on the 12th Sun of the 4th Moon, 04 / 12. It is commonly celebrated around the world, and by most cultures. In larger cities, there are occasionally parades dedicated to Hatching-Tide celebrations, though not often.

Hatching-Tide is characterized by depictions of symbols relating to new life, commonly baby animals (such as chicks, calves, kittens, puppies, piglets, and lambs). It originally started out as a small-town festival hosted by farmers and ranchers, to congratulate each other on the newborn cattle and farm animals of the season, and to give thanks for their births. As it grew in relative popularity, it spread to larger cities, and soon became a celebration characterized more by gift-giving than farm animals. Large cities popularized the sale and gifting of chocolates and confections shaped like baby animals, and of the sale of pastel-painted chocolate eggs. The image of the chick, hatching egg, and chickens became the most popular symbols of the celebration.

Nowadays, it is recognized foremostly by the popular children's activity of the egg hunt, in which dozens of chocolate eggs are painted in pastel patterns and hidden around the given space, for the children to seek out and eat. In smaller towns and farming villages, these more modern festivities are usually held on a town-wide level, alongside the traditional livestock and thanks-giving festivities.