Well at the age of 57 and having never made them before, I decided to make some hot cross buns. I cant count myself as a  religious person as for the last 8 years I have not been to church and my only 'religion' is to love  mother earth, so felt happier when I realised that they probably come from pagan Anglo Saxon times as sacramental cakes eaten during the ritual feast to honour their spring goddess Eostre - so am happily eating them feeling rather springlike and pagan at the moment-but will not go as far as hanging one up for the year to ward away evil spirits :)