Holy Bunnies, It's Easter!!

Well, perhaps not today, but tomorrow is.  And since I'll be busy tomorrow hiding at my boyfriend's apartment dying eggs and watching TV, I'll go ahead and post this now!!

I thought this image was a bit more appropriate considering that this is supposed to be a Christian holiday.  But with bunnies.  EVERYTHING is more fun with bunnies!  I mean... Come on!  Fluffy tails and long ears and twitchy noses....  What's not to love??  :D

But it did get me wondering.... How the hell do you get colored eggs and bunnies out of the resurrection of Jesus?  I asked my mom this and she said "Shut up, Ella, that's a stupid question."  I love getting my questions answered.....

Daddy didn't know, so I decided to ask the one thing that would always point me in the right direction....  GOOGLE!!

There's no story in the Bible about a long-eared, cotton-tailed creature known as the Easter Bunny. Neither is there a passage about young children painting eggs or hunting for baskets overflowing with scrumptious Easter goodies.  And I'm pretty sure that bunnies don't lay eggs.  Just saying....

Why are these traditions so ingrained in Easter Sunday? And what do they have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?

Well, nothing.

Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening hats all stem from pagan roots. These tropes were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honoring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

The origin of the celebration of Easter (and the origin of the Easter bunny) can be traced back to 13th century, pre-Christian Germany, when people worshiped several gods and goddesses. The Teutonic deity Eostra was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were held in her honor on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal’s high reproduction rate.

Spring also symbolized new life and rebirth. Eggs were an ancient symbol of fertility. According to History.com, Easter eggs represent Jesus' resurrection. However, this association came much later when Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in Germany in the 15th century and merged with already ingrained pagan beliefs.

The first Easter bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country.

The tradition of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon followed. Eventually, nests became decorated baskets and colorful eggs were swapped for candy, treats and other small gifts.

So, while you're scarfing down chocolate bunnies (I hear chocolate is good for you!) and marshmallow chicks this Easter Sunday, think fondly of this holiday's origins, and maybe even impress your friends at your local Easter egg hunt!

Scooter Out.