Sociogenesis of Egg Rolling

Every Easter in order to celebrate the resurrection of Christ (Easter), millions of people across the world participate in the game of egg rolling. Starting in Europe before settlers even came to the US, egg rolling had become a tradition in the UK and other countries alike. Children would use long sticks to push their eggs down a hill, and whoever could get his/hers furthest without cracking would win. There would also be people going from event to event singing traditional egg rolling songs, dressed brightly in order to entertain the children.
It really is a simple game developed from simple times, but egg rolling made its way to the US where it took on a more prestigious roll. Dolly, wife of President James Madison, brought the games to the White House every Easter Monday starting in 1814. Hundreds of children and their parents would come to the White House lawns to be entertained by costumes, celebrities, and even book-readings by Cabinet secretaries. This event has often been used by the Presidential Office to extend its hand towards social outliers, like when Mamie Eisenhower opened it to black children for the first time. Although it had been suspended a few times due to circumstances like war, President Obama has continued the event and even invited same-sex couples to carry out this tradition. He also pushes the "Let's Go Play" campaign which promotes healthy living for young people. The games continue to happen every year at the White House as a staple of American culture.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_rolling
http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/glimpse/Easter/