On Easter Saturday night, towns and villages across Greece fill up. At midnight, big white candles called lambathes are lit one from another. Children often have their own smaller candle, sometimes decorated by a godparent with ribbons and little toys. Families take the lit candle home and use it to draw a small cross above the front door with the smoke - a sign that the candle came home safely.
Painting eggs red is one of the most fun bits. Hard-boiled eggs are dipped in deep red dye until they shine like polished apples. The red colour is special - it stands for new life and for spring. The eggs aren't just for looking at: they are used in a game called tsougrisma. Two people each hold a red egg and gently knock the pointed ends together. The egg that cracks loses. The owner of the egg that stays whole wins.
Sunday is feast day. Lamb is slow-roasted whole on a big metal pole over hot coals - it takes most of the day, turning slowly. The smell drifts through the whole village. Families set up long tables outside, sometimes in the village square, with bread, salads, cheese and dishes of every kind. The meal might start at lunchtime and finish at sunset.
It is also a time for music and dancing. After the meal, someone usually picks up a bouzouki, people kick off their shoes, and the syrtaki begins. Grandparents dance with grandchildren. Even people who would never normally dance get up. By the end of the day, everyone has eaten too much, talked too much, and gone home very happy.