Where did hot cross buns originate?
Hot crossed buns. “At the feast to Eastre, an ox was sacrificed and the image of his horns carved into ritual bread – which evolved into the twice-scored Easter biscuits we call ‘hot cross buns.’ In fact, the word ‘bun’ derives from the Saxon for ‘sacred ox,’ ‘boun.'” Sacred Origins of Profound Things. A cross bun kept from one Good Friday to the next was thought to bring luck, the buns were supposed to serve as a charm against shipwreck, and hanging a bun over the chimneypiece ensured that all bread baked there would be perfect. Another belief was that eating hot cross buns on Good Friday served to protect the home from fire.
