Aussie Easter tradition baffles US visitor: 'Never heard of that'
An American expat's startling Easter egg revelation has sent shockwaves across social media.
A US woman's discovery about Easter celebrations in Australia has highlighted a major difference between the two countries that is blowing Aussie minds.
TikTok user Tate Waynne shared an "embarrassing" story of how she learned Easter eggs Down Under are made of chocolate, rather than the plastic shells filled with lollies that she's accustomed to in California.
"No one thought to tell me that Australian Easter eggs are different to American Easter eggs," she said in a video that has been viewed over a million times in four days.
Ms Waynne explained that she made the revelation when she and her boyfriend were invited to an event over the long weekend where she was expected to participate in an egg exchange.
Easter long weekend trading hours: Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Bunnings and more
Easter treat warning for pet owners: How to protect your dogs and cats
"In my head I'm thinking plastic Easter egg full of different candy," she recalled. When she expressed her confusion to her boyfriend, he clarified that Aussies exchange chocolate eggs during the holiday.
'Weird cultural difference'
"I fully Googled it," Ms Waynne laughed in the video. "You guys are just out here exchanging big chocolate eggs? I've never heard of that. Like every single one is chocolate. Love chocolate, don't get me wrong, I'm not upset, it's just a weird cultural difference."
Ms Waynne's shock at the difference between American and Australian Easter traditions was shared by thousands of Aussies. "Wait, what? You guys don't go nuts on Easter chocolate?" one viewer responded incredulously. "You just have toys and stuff? That's wild! You don't even do an Easter hunt as a kid?"
In a follow-up video, Ms Waynne clarified that Easter egg hunts are indeed popular in the US, however Americans hunt for plastic eggs filled with candy and other small gifts including money, and don't usually exchange chocolates eggs with other people.
As the revelation spread across social media, another American TikToker took it upon himself to "prove" the claim by sharing a video of the Easter offering at his local supermarket. While the store sells chocolate Easter bunnies and Cadbury Creme Eggs, it appears to stock nothing like the hollow chocolate eggs that are associated with Easter in Australia and other parts of the world.
"I'm gonna show you what the American Easter aisle looks like," he says in the clip, showcasing an array of chocolate bunnies, candy and plastic eggs filled with trinkets. "This is it; packaged candy, no eggs," he reveals in the clip. "Look, not one egg in sight. They only got toys in them."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.