If you’re like me, you’ve got to love the holidays. My two personal favorites would definitely have to be Christmas and Thanksgiving. These wonderful occasions bring all of my friends and family together, and it’s so much fun to enjoy their company. Of course, it’s also a delight to share the great meals that come with these holidays. Yes, the holidays are a time to cherish tradition, but another fantastic holiday would have to be Easter.
Exploring the Roots of the Easter Bunny
Easter, like Christmas, is rooted in the Christian faith. For people of the Christian faith— the religion upon which much of Western culture is based, and the faith of millions around the world—traditional holidays like Christmas and Easter hold very special meanings. These holidays celebrate significant events tied to their faith. Christmas, as the name suggests, marks the birth of Jesus Christ and the events surrounding his arrival. Similarly, Easter celebrates the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. This is the central event in Christianity that enables Christians to have faith in Christ as their personal Savior.
However, for many people in today’s society, their association with these holidays might not align with their original religious meanings. When most people think of Christmas, they don’t necessarily think of Christ. Instead, they often think of “Santa Claus,” “presents,” “Christmas trees,” and “candy canes.” While all these elements originated in Christian traditions, there isn’t time to delve into them here. Similarly, when people think about Easter, they don’t always focus on the Christian traditions surrounding the holiday. Instead, they think about the “Easter Bunny,” “Easter eggs,” “Easter egg hunts,” and “chocolate bunnies.”
These associations with the holiday stem from the influence of advertising and commercialization. Companies and advertisers recognized these holidays as times when people would gather and exchange gifts. They focused on these elements, ultimately shifting the public’s perception to view these holidays more as secular, pop-culture events than religious celebrations. To understand how these holidays evolved into what they are today, it’s helpful to explore the symbols most closely associated with them—such as the “Easter Bunny.”
Who is He?
The Easter Bunny has its origins in early pagan traditions—these were secular or worldly beliefs, with no specific connection to one deity, as Christianity does. The modern Easter traditions of the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs have no direct ties to the Christian celebration of Easter. Rather, they are derived from pagan symbols. The timing of the Christian Easter (which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) coincides with the vernal equinox, a pagan celebration marking the arrival of spring. This pagan festival symbolized the arrival of light, the renewal of life, and the awakening of nature.
The very name “Easter” is believed to come from pagan traditions as well. It’s derived from the Saxon goddess Eastre (also known as Oestre or Ostara), who was the goddess of dawn and spring. Eastre was also a fertility goddess, bringing an end to winter and lengthening the days with her passion for “new life.” As spring unfolded, the flowering plants and the birth of animals were seen as manifestations of Eastre’s power.
It is from this fertility goddess that the association with rabbits emerged. The rabbit was sacred to Eastre because of its rapid reproduction, symbolizing fertility. Easter eggs and bunnies were featured prominently in the pagan feasts of Ostara, which were held during the festivals of the goddess Ishtar. The egg, an obvious symbol of fertility and new life, was used in these celebrations, and the brightly colored eggs, chicks, and bunnies expressed gratitude for the abundance Eastre had provided.
Now, let’s explore how the character we know as the Easter Bunny came to be. There is an interesting pagan legend associated with the Easter Bunny and the tradition of chocolate eggs. The story tells of how Eastre, feeling guilty for arriving late one spring, decided to save a bird whose wings had frozen in the snow. In some versions of the story, Eastre made the bird her pet (and in some, even her lover). Compassionate for the bird’s inability to fly, Eastre transformed it into a snow hare named Lepus, giving it the ability to run fast to avoid hunters. She also gave it a unique gift: the ability to lay eggs. These eggs were not just any eggs—they were vibrant and came in all the colors of the rainbow. However, Lepus could only lay these colorful eggs on one day each year—the day of Eastre’s festival. From this story, we get the first accounts of the Easter Bunny and the colorful eggs that have come to symbolize the holiday.
Traditions Around the World
In the modern Western tradition, the Easter Bunny is often depicted as a large, friendly, almost lifelike character—similar to Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy. This lovable bunny is said to deliver chocolate eggs to children, hiding them in homes or yards for children to find, often providing them with baskets for the hunt. When you read about it, it may sound a little silly, doesn’t it? After all, Santa Claus is based on a human figure. But despite the oddity, the Easter Bunny has become an integral part of Easter traditions. It’s important to note, however, that the customs surrounding this holiday differ around the world.
The first documented mention of the Easter Bunny as a symbol of Easter occurred in late 1500s Germany. The Germans were also the first to create edible Easter Bunnies in the 1800s. The tradition of the Easter Bunny came to America in the 1700s through the Pennsylvania Dutch. Every spring, their children eagerly awaited the arrival of “Oschter Haws” (the Easter Bunny) and the accompanying gifts. This excitement rivaled that of the winter visit of “Sinterklaas” (the name for Saint Nicholas, which eventually morphed into “Santa Claus”).
The rabbit or bunny is revered in many cultures around the world. In many Asian cultures, the rabbit is seen as a sacred messenger to the divine. In Buddhism and ancient Egypt, the rabbit holds special significance. In Western Europe, the rabbit symbolizes fertility and new life. These Eastern and Western beliefs about the rabbit likely spread across cultures as communication between these regions increased.
Over time, these different traditions and legends about rabbits have shaped the Easter Bunny into the symbol we know today—representing a holiday centered on resurrection and renewal. In truth, the message remains largely the same: the rabbit is still symbolic of a season when all things are possible, and life can begin anew.
In North America, the modern Easter Bunny tradition involves children waking up on Easter Sunday to find a basket full of candy or hidden eggs—either decorated or chocolate. This custom is similar in a few other countries. For example, in Austria, the “Easter Bunny” (known as “Osterhase”) hides decorated eggs the night before Easter Sunday for children to find. In New Zealand, stores sell hot cross buns (symbolizing Christ’s cross) and chocolate eggs, which the Easter Bunny hides for children to find on Easter Sunday morning. In nearby Australia, where rabbits are considered pests, there has been an effort to replace the Easter Bunny with the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial. However, the Easter Bunny remains the more popular symbol.
Not every country celebrates the Easter Bunny, and some countries have their own unique Easter traditions. In Sweden’s western provinces, for example, there are competitions to create the largest bonfire, and fireworks are set off. In Norway, a modern tradition called “Easter-crime” involves airing detective novels and crime stories. However, most countries that celebrate Easter do have some form of “Easter eggs.”
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into the history and traditions of the Easter Bunny. Perhaps it has sparked your curiosity, or maybe it will inspire you to incorporate some of these traditions into your own life. Who knows? Maybe 200 years from now, someone just like me will be writing about the evolving traditions of the Easter Bunny.
