Easter comes during the time of year when the weather gets warmer, the flowers start to bloom, and Peeps take over the holiday section at the store.. But have you ever wondered how rabbits become so closely associated with this holiday? In this article, I’ll tell you why.
It all began many, many years ago in ancient Europe. There was a pagan festival celebrating the coming of spring, known as Eostre. As part of the festival, people would decorate eggs and leave them as offerings to the goddess Eostre, who was associated with fertility and new beginnings.
But how does the bunny rabbit fit into all of this, you might ask? Well, the hare was also a symbol of fertility and new beginnings, due to their ability to breed rapidly and the fact that they are often seen in the springtime. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, it absorbed many of the pagan traditions and symbols, including the bunny rabbit and eggs. In fact, the first mention of the Easter bunny in literature dates back to the 16th century in Germany.
But it wasn’t until the 18th century that the Easter bunny really took off in popularity. German immigrants brought the tradition to America, where it was embraced by children who loved the idea of a magical bunny who would bring them gifts of candy and eggs. The idea of a bunny delivering eggs is a bit odd, though, isn’t it? Well, the tradition actually has its roots in the German tradition of the “Osterhase,” which was a hare who would lay colorful eggs for children to find. Over time, the Osterhase transformed into the Easter bunny we know and love today.
If you are Christian then today is a today to for gratitude for Jesus, and we should thank him for dying for us. If not, I hope you learned something new about the Easter bunny origin with this article. It’s important that we know where things came from, and the origin of the traditions that we pass down through generations. Happy Easter!