Easter is right around the corner. Time for a big lunch, a visit from the Easter Bunny, and loads of chocolate! But where did these traditions come from? Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Easter with a bunny and eggs, but no chicken? The answers might surprise you!.
The Easter bunny is a beloved icon of the springtime holiday delivering baskets filled with colorful eggs chocolate treats, and other goodies. But have you ever wondered why a rabbit instead of a chicken became the symbol of Easter? After all, chickens lay eggs, so wouldn’t a chicken mascot make more sense?
There are many parts to the history of the Easter bunny. It starts with ancient pagan beliefs, Germanic folklore, and the mixing of cultures as traditions spread. It’s not clear how well rabbits lay eggs, but their role as a sign of fertility and new life links them to pagan celebrations of spring. The bunny became the most iconic Easter figure through hundreds of years of changes and commercialization.
Pagan Origins and the Goddess Ēostre
Germanic people used to honor the goddess Ēostre or Ostara in pagan ceremonies that are where the Easter bunny got its start before Christianity. Òostre was the goddess of spring, fertility, and dawn. She was linked to hares and eggs.
According to some historians, Ēostre had a sacred animal companion — a hare. The hare represented pagan concepts like fertility, rebirth, and new beginnings. However, the direct linkage between Ēostre and the hare is uncertain, with minimal primary source documentation. Nonetheless, the general association between springtime fertility celebrations and animal symbols like the hare and egg is well-established.
The German Osterhase and Egg Rewards
The first documented mention of a rabbit character specifically associated with Easter eggs appears in 16th century German sources. The Osterhase, or Easter Hare, was described as an active participant in Easter rituals rather than just a symbol.
Tradition says that as Easter got closer, the Osterhase would judge how well kids behaved. When kids were good, the hare would give them eggs and nests that were decorated with beautiful things. This tradition probably came with Germans who came to America in the 1700s.
Evolution of the Easter Bunny in America
As time went on, the hare turned into a rabbit when the Osterhase tradition came to America with German settlers. The Osterhase’s nests and baskets turned into places for the Easter Bunny to hide eggs and other treats for kids to find on Easter morning.
The act of hunting for hidden Easter eggs became a beloved ritual, further reinforcing the importance of the Easter Bunny. The tradition spread beyond German American communities, capturing the imagination of the broader population.
Commercialization in the 19th and 20th Centuries
In the 1800s and early 1900s, the Easter Bunny became commercialized, appearing on holiday-themed merchandise and confections. Chocolate bunnies and rabbits became popular Easter candy treats. Postcards and greeting cards featured the Easter Bunny.
This commercial boom helped solidify the Easter Bunny in American pop culture. The bunny appealed to the public’s affection for springtime and gift-giving fun. Its whimsical, secular nature gave it cross-cultural appeal beyond specific religious backgrounds.
Why Not a Chicken?
With the complex history involved it makes sense why a rabbit rather than a chicken became the face of Easter. For one the pagan origins link the hare to spring fertility rituals, not egg-laying specifically. The bunny’s cuter, more winsome image also lent itself better to commercialization.
Chickens produce eggs naturally, so there’s less magical mythology around a chicken delivering them. And while live baby chicks are adorable, the commercial appeal of fluffy bunnies and sugary rabbits is hard to resist.
An Enduring Springtime Symbol
While its origins go back millennia, the Easter Bunny remains an engaging symbol of springtime rebirth and festivity. For children, waking up to a basket overflowing with eggs, candy, and toys left by the mysterious Easter Bunny is a magical rite of the season. The bunny’s continued popularity is a testament to the enduring human connection to nature’s renewal each spring.
So although it may seem strange, the Easter Bunny has hopped down an intriguing path, from ancient pagan rites to today’s peeps and chocolate eggs. The mythical rabbit has earned a place in Easter celebrations that even the prolific chicken can’t displace.
Eggs: symbols of rebirth
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Since no one knows, let’s just start with the eggs! It’s easy to see why eggs symbolise life, renewal, and rebirth. For that reason, early Christians began using eggs as a symbol of the resurrection. Some historians think that the eggshell would have stood for the tomb and the chick hatching would have stood for Jesus.
A little Easter egg history…
But Easter Eggs are different from regular eggs, aren’t they? They’re much more colourful for a start! During Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter), and especially during the week just before Easter, known as Holy Week, many Christians abstained from eating animal products. Meat? No. Dairy? Nope! Eggs? No, sir!.
But just because people weren’t eating eggs, didn’t mean chickens stopped laying them! To preserve all of the unused eggs, people would hardboil them, decorate the shells and save them to eat on Easter Day.
The colourful Easter egg tradition further evolved with the British Victorians, who began celebrating Easter with beautiful, satin-covered cardboard egg that they’d fill with small gifts.
Interestingly, historians believe that the Pennsylvania Dutch in the US started the tradition of the modern Easter egg hunt in the 1700s. Who knew?!.
And the part you’re all waiting for: the chocolate eggs! Everyone’s favourite Easter treat originated in Europe, in particular France and Germany, in the early 1800s. Some people think that the first chocolate eggs were bitter and hard, not sweet like the ones we buy today.
Fortunately, people saw the potential here and worked hard to improve their chocolate-making techniques. Eventually, they landed on with the hollow, sweet eggs we enjoy today!.
Why is there an Easter bunny and not a chicken?
FAQ
Is the Easter Bunny real?
The Easter Bunny is not real, but the fictional character is a beloved part of Easter celebrations, particularly for children.
Is the Easter Bunny a pagan belief?
Technically, the Easter Bunny isn’t a pagan belief because paganism doesn’t include the worship of Jesus or belief in his resurrection. That said, the Easter Bunny may have historical roots in paganism and its rituals: The pagan goddess of fertility is named Eostre, and one of her symbols in the religion was a hare.
Why is Easter a Bunny and not a chicken?
Even though eggs are often associated with Easter as a sign of new life and the resurrection, the fact that the Easter bunny is a symbol of the holiday is not by accident. The thinking behind the tradition was simply that rabbits reproduce a lot, so as a symbol representing new life, rabbits took the edge over chickens.
Why do we have Easter Bunny?
The Victorians took this tradition and made it their own. Instead of using real eggs, they made eggs out of cardboard, wrapped them in fancy cloth, and put gifts inside them. The Germans added chocolate to the mix and so a tradition was born. Why do we have an Easter bunny? Wouldn’t an Easter chicken make more sense?.
Why is a bunny a symbol of Easter?
When it comes to Easter traditions, one might wonder why a bunny, a fluffy and adorable creature, has become the symbol of this joyous holiday instead of a chicken, which is traditionally associated with eggs. The answer lies in a mix of ancient folklore and cultural influences, as well as the symbolism of rebirth and new beginnings.
What is an Easter Bunny?
Animals like rabbits and eggs have been connected to Easter for a long time, but the Easter bunny as we know him or her doesn’t show up in history until the 1600s. At that time, a rabbit named Osterhas, which means “Easter rabbit,” was said to lay bright eggs for kids to find on Easter Sunday.
Why is it an Easter Bunny not a chicken?
The rabbit is known for being an animal that reproduces quickly. So the rabbit in Easter is supposed to represent life.
What animal was the Easter Bunny originally?
Protestant German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the “Osterhase” (sometimes spelled “Oschter Haws”). Hase means “hare”, not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the “Easter Bunny” indeed is a hare.
What has the Easter Bunny got to do with Jesus?
Since rabbits remind people of new life and Easter is about Jesus coming back to life, people sometimes use bunnies as part of their Easter celebrations.
What do bunnies and chickens have to do with Easter?
While the biblical Easter focuses on the resurrection of Jesus, the bunny’s presence is tied to ancient pagan beliefs associating rabbits and eggs with fertility and new life. German immigrants brought the tradition of the Easter hare, who would lay colored eggs, to the United States.