Egg tossing, egg toss, or egg throwing is a game associated with Easter. The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in Pagan celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the rebirth of man at Easter.[1]
In one version of the game the idea is to toss an egg so it falls on the ground without breaking. This is possible on, for example, grassy meadows.[2] In Germany, children invented a way to spin the egg during the toss so that it lands on its tip still spinning.[2]
In medieval Britain there was an egg throwing festival held in the churches at Easter. The priest would give out one hard-boiled egg which was tossed around the nave of the church and the choirboy who was holding the egg when the clock struck twelve would get to keep it.[3]
Dutch children play a game called "egg sales" in which one child sells an egg to another. The new owner then throws the egg in the grass and if it doesn't break it must be returned to the seller.[2]
Egg tossing is also known as a team competition with basically the following rules, although the exact details may vary. One member of a two-person team tosses an egg to another. If the egg does not break, they step apart and the toss is repeated. The contest continues until one egg is left unbroken. (A popular variation uses water balloons.)
On July 4, 2011, in Grangeville, Idaho, the world record for the number of persons participating in an egg toss was set, with 2,130 persons participating.
An egg throwing feat was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records: on November 12, 1978 a Johnny Dell Foley successfully tossed a fresh hen's egg for a distance of 323 ft 2in (98.51m) to a Keith Thomas at Jewett, Texas.[4] The record was undefeated until at least 1999. Since 2000 the feat is no longer listed in the book.
The Hagerstown Suns have hosted the annual National Egg Toss Championship since 2005.[5][6]
A World Egg Throwing Federation championship is held in Swaton, England each year on the last Sunday in June since 2006.[7]
The 2006 and 2007 Disney Channel Games included egg tossing games.