As an Easter tradition, decorative eggs date back as far as the 13th Century. In Christianity, it’s believed that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting.
Early Christians in Mesopotamia - modern day Iraq - dyed eggs red to mimic the blood Jesus shed on the cross.
The church continued these traditions as decorations became more elaborate and the eggs were gradually distributed as gifts.