For many people, Easter Sunday means a pious day spent in church and with family to celebrate one of the most important holidays of the Christian calendar. So where does our furry-eared, egg-gifting friend the Easter Bunny come into play? We’ll have to backtrack quite a few years to tell this story.
The Easter Bunny actually has Pagan roots; some claim that back in 13th-century Germany, people worshiped a goddess of spring and fertility called Eostra. Thanks to its astonishingly high fertility rate, the rabbit was Eostra’s special symbol. Since Easter occurs during the spring, Eostra and her connection to renewal, refreshing, and rabbits became associated with the Christian holiday.
But that doesn’t explain today’s Easter tradition of a giant bunny hiding Easter eggs for eager kiddos to find. A quick biology class reminder: bunny rabbits don’t lay eggs. So how did the Easter egg come into the picture? Well, eggs are another ancient symbol of fertility, and they’re associated with springtime since many pretty little birds lay their eggs during the warmer days of late March and April. In fact, the egg became a potent symbol of Jesus’s resurrection later in the 15th century. So it makes sense that two major springtime symbols – the bunny and the egg – were merged together to create a fun Easter holiday tradition.
By the late 17th century, we had our first tales of generous bunnies “laying” eggs in the garden for children to find. Children would create nests for the bunnies to leave their eggs in, and these nests eventually morphed into the Easter baskets lined with colorful paper scraps that we use for the great Easter egg hunt today!
If you’re looking to leave your child an extra special Easter treat this year, why not try Delysia’s solid Chocolate Easter Bunny? The cute bunny comes in three flavors – white, milk, and dark chocolate – so you can make sure your son or daughter gets a flavor that he or she likes! And while the kids are snacking on bunny ears and candy-filled eggs, we think the grown-ups deserve a delicious chocolate indulgence, too. Try Delysia’s exclusive Easter Truffle Collection, with fun peanut butter, white chocolate, and marshmallow flavors. Just make sure the Easter Bunny doesn’t hop away with your goodies!
Source: Discovery.com