If you’ve gone to do the groceries over the last couple of weeks, you’ll have noticed something fun. The Easter chocolates and hot cross buns are well and truly here, and aisles are starting to find themselves covered in bunny decorations. But have you ever wondered why Easter comes with eggs and bunnies?
Neither eggs nor bunnies immediately conjure up images of the traditional Easter story. You know the one, Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected three days later. Lots of blood, lots of tears, lots of celebrating when Jesus came back. Not too many bunnies or painted eggs to be found.
Turns out there are a few different places that the bunny could have come from:
Where Does The Easter Bunny Come From You?
One theory is that when the Christian celebration swallowed up the Pagan festival, the rabbit symbology remained.
The Pagan festival of Eostre was held in March of April to welcome in the Spring (in the northern hemisphere). Eostre herself was a goddess of fertility, and because rabbits are nothing if not fertile, the bunny was her symbol.
Another theory is that the Easter Bunny was a tradition brought to America by German Immigrants in the 1700s. Stories of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws” spread quickly, and became the bunny we all know and love today.
As for where the eggs come from, that’s a bit more straightforward. In the 13th century, churches made sure that everybody gave up eggs for Lent – so no eggs for the six weeks leading up to Easter. Instead of being eaten, every egg that was laid was painted and given as a gift, and a very eggy feast was had once Lent was over.
The first chocolate eggs were made in France and Germany in the 19th century, and because chocolate is amazing, that idea spread very quickly.
So as you’re munching away on your chocolate bunny this Easter, give cheers to the Pagans and everybody who decided to give eggs up for Lent.
Always be in the loop with our snackable podcast breaking the biggest story of the day. Subscribe to It’s Been A Big Day For… on your favourite podcast app.