Where Does the Easter Bunny Come From and Other Easter Traditions
Millions of people celebrate Easter throughout the world. Some do so from a religious standpoint while others celebrate from a strictly secular viewpoint. No matter how your family chooses to commemorate the holiday, your children may have asked where the Easter bunny and other traditions come from. We will try to answer those questions for you as well as give you ideas on how to help your children understand the significance behind the holiday rather than focusing solely upon the Easter bunny, Easter eggs, and candy. Origins of Easter
Many people don’t realize that Easter began prior to the advent of Christianity. In fact, many historians agree Easter started from a pagan holiday to honor the Babylonian goddess Ishtar who was the goddess of love and fertility. Others believe it started from the Anglo-Saxon’s celebration in honor of their goddess of spring Eostre. At any rate, it didn’t start out as the Christian holiday celebrated today.
It was common during the early history of Christianity for pagan holidays to be absorbed in hopes that pagans would turn to the Christian faith. If they could still celebrate their own holidays, they might not feel so out of place when joining the new religion. In this regard, early Christian leaders recognized the proximity of Jesus Christ’s resurrection with the pagan springtime celebration. Since the two days were commemorated so closely, it was easy to incorporate some of the Easter worship with that of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
Another holiday which is often celebrated at the same time as Easter and Jesus’ resurrection is the Jewish holiday Pesach, or Passover. This holiday was celebrated as early as the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt thousands of years earlier. According to many Jewish rabbis, Pesach and the traditional observance of it, points toward the coming of the Messiah for the Jewish people. Although many people believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, Orthodox Jews believe this Savior is still to come and celebrate Pesach waiting for His arrival.
Since the early Christians were absorbing many of the holidays the pagans celebrated, it isn’t unreasonable for them to associate some of their symbols, as well. These include, but are not limited to, decorated eggs and rabbits which are so much a part of the current celebrations for the holiday.
When is Easter celebrated?
The date Easter is celebrated changes from year to year. While it is always celebrated around the Jewish Passover, and the dates often match exactly, it doesn’t always fall together. Some years will see the two celebrated a month apart or Passover being celebrated after Easter. Unlike Passover, which is celebrated every year on Nisan 15 according to the Jewish calendar, Easter is celebrated the first Sunday following the spring, or vernal equinox.
It is for the previously stated reason Easter may be in either March or April. Jewish calendars are lunar-based and the new month doesn’t begin until the new moon, Gregorian calendars are solar-based and months are predetermined in order for the equinoxes to arrive at the same time each year. Easter has been celebrated on the first Sunday following the spring equinox since 325 AD when the Council of Nicaea put the “Easter Rule” into effect.
Easter Bunny
Because Easter sprang from pagan origins, it may or may not surprise you to find out that the Easter bunny did, as well. In fact, hares and rabbits had been symbols of fertility for centuries. If you take into consideration how prolific a pair of rabbits is and how quickly one pair can turn into hundreds of rabbits, it’s no wonder the ancient pagans saw the rabbit in this way.
One story which may explain why Easter bunnies are associated with eggs is found in Anglo-Saxon mythology. The myth states Ostara (known by Ishtar, Astarte, and other names in other mythologies) had a pet bird. While entertaining a group of children, she changed the bird into a rabbit. Soon after the bird was changed to a rabbit, it laid brightly colored eggs.
Germans also associated the rabbit with Easter and may have done so as early as 1500 BC. They had tales and folklore where “Oschter Haws,” or a large hare or rabbit, would go around laying eggs for the children to find. When German emigrants moved to Pennsylvania in America, they brought with them their traditions including the concept of an Easter hare leaving eggs. As time passed, the tradition became better known and finally became enmeshed in the celebration of the holiday.
According to the Germanic tradition, children would create nests out of girl’s bonnets and boy’s caps in hopes the Easter hare would lay colorful eggs in the nests. The Easter hare became the Easter bunny by the 19th century; at this time, however, the holiday wasn’t wide spread. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that the holiday was made into a national holiday. And, even though no one has ever seen a rabbit or hare lay an egg, they remain to this day as the sole bringer of dyed eggs (and now chocolate or other confections) on Easter morning.
Easter Eggs
Children enjoy finding Easter eggs almost as much as they like eating them, especially if they’re filled with chocolate or other candy. You can also purchase a set of eggs, called Resurrection Eggs, which tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection through the various items which are hidden in the eggs. You may wonder where the idea for Easter eggs began.
When you think about life in the physical sense, it’s easy to see how the ancient Romans believed that all life came from an egg. In some senses that’s true. You can also understand how the egg came to symbolize birth and rebirth. They are often considered to be a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection but the beginning of the Easter egg also has pagan roots.
One ancient Babylonian myth tells of the goddess Astarte (also called Ishtar or Easter) who was hatched from a giant egg which had fallen from heaven. It was for this reason the egg was associated with Easter. It is also a symbol of fertility which was also one attribute given to Astarte.
Some folklore from long ago claims the use of Easter eggs began with the Druids in their celebration of spring. The truth is many cultures have used dyed eggs including ancient Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Some people have wondered how such a pagan symbol could come to be used within celebrations for Christianity.
One story which leads one to believe in using dyed eggs in Christianity was from Poland. The story is told about how Mary, the mother of Jesus, took eggs to the soldiers who were responsible for hanging Jesus on the cross. Supposedly her hope was that by giving the eggs to the soldiers, they would be merciful to him. The tears she shed as she pleaded with the soldiers purportedly splashed onto the eggs and made them appear to be various colors.
As time passed and Christianity took hold as the major religion, people forgot about the pagan beginnings of many of the symbols associated with Easter, including those of dyed Easter eggs. During the middle ages, the Catholic Church chose to forbid eating eggs during Lent, the 40 days prior to Easter. Since chickens don’t stop laying on cue, eggs were boiled or preserved so they wouldn’t be wasted. Then the families would give the eggs to the children or use them as a main component of the Easter meal.
Eggs have been painted red to symbolize the blood of Christ in the Middle East and Greece. They have been blown out and decorated with religious images in Armenia. The most famous decorated eggs in the world are the Faberge eggs created by Peter Faberge after he was commissioned by the Russian Czar in 1883. Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll be getting your children a real Faberge egg, but your children could try to create something that’s almost as pretty.
You may hear your children say it simply isn’t Easter if you don’t dye and decorate eggs. They also expect to attend at least one Easter egg hunt during the holiday weekend. Since they’re an expected part of Easter, you may choose to continue using them. However, that is a choice you’ll want to make based on your own beliefs and how persistent your children are.
Easter baskets
Children know if you have Easter eggs you need something to place them into; this means they expect there to be an Easter basket. Going back to the 18th century, the Pennsylvania Dutch told children about “Oschter Haws,” the rabbit responsible for leaving gifts, usually colored eggs, to the good children. The children would leave their hats and bonnets outside for the rabbit to place the eggs they would receive.
Another possibility is that the idea for Easter baskets began when women in a Catholic parish would bring the ingredients for their Easter meals to the priest to bless the food. They would bring baskets filled with cheese, bread, ham, or whatever they were planning to serve. Once the items were blessed, the women would take the food home with them to prepare it for their families.
Before too long, the tradition of bringing food in baskets to the church evolved into leaving baskets of goodies for the children. Easter baskets can now be found to include items such as dyed hard boiled eggs, chocolate eggs, stuffed bunnies, jelly beans, or other trinkets. While no child really believes a rabbit actually lays the eggs, they may believe the bunny rather than their parents are the one who hides them in the yard.
Easter parades
One tradition associated with Easter which doesn’t seem to have pagan beginnings is the Easter parade. Some people believe the first Easter parade, or processional, was Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Even though Easter parades seem to have gone out of vogue in most places of the country in recent years, that’s not true everywhere.
Years after Jesus’ crucifixion, in the Dark Ages, His followers would walk slowly and solemnly to Easter services to display their sadness concerning Jesus’ death. Following the service they would trace the same route singing songs of praise because He had risen.
The “stations of the cross” is another type of Easter parade. Begun in the Middle Ages, this type of parade was used as a teaching tool. Statues and paintings were placed along the streets and the people would walk along the path to learn about the various places Jesus walked during the time he carried the cross prior to his being crucified. You may still find this type of event occurring in churches throughout the country.
Easter parades began in the United States in 1880s New York. Churches would decorate their sanctuaries with Easter flowers. Soon the trend was for the women to wear elaborate dresses and hats. After the church services were over, it was customary for the people all decked out in their finest clothes to walk from their own church to each of the others to view the flower displays and to be seen by others.
Before long, Easter as a holiday became almost as important as Christmas in the amount of money being spent. Irving Berlin immortalized the Easter Parade in a song by the same name. By 1948 there was a movie made using the song as the basis.
In recent years the concept of an Easter parade has lost all religious overtones. They may be all but a thing of the past. Rather than recognizing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they are nothing more than a reason for people to dress in outlandish attire while wearing unusual hats.
Helping Children Focus on the Meaning behind Easter
Many parents find it easier to explain the historical basis and ideas behind other Christian holidays other than Easter. Not only is the significance of the holiday, the death and then resurrection of Jesus, hard for small children to understand; they also see the emphasis stores place on the Easter bunny, baskets, and candy. It’s no wonder children may be confused about Easter.
It’s easy for parents to explain the joyous aspects of Christmas particularly if they have younger siblings. They understand how the birth of a child usually includes gifts. It’s also easy to keep the images of the baby Jesus separate from the images of Santa Claus. It’s not so easy, however, to explain why Jesus was crucified and then rose from the dead.
Depending upon if your family concentrates on the religious aspects of the holiday or not, you can explain things in a way your children can understand. Begin your explanations when you boil and dye the Easter eggs. You can explain how a baby chick hatches from an egg, people in the past saw this as a renewal of life. If your family is religious, you can tell them the egg represents the tomb Jesus was buried in, and that when He rose from the dead it was like a chicken hatching from an egg.
Another way you can explain the idea of new life during Easter is by looking around nature. Spring itself is a yearly renewal. There are daffodils and crocuses bursting forth in bloom, birds are building their nests to make them ready to lay start a new family. If Easter occurs before the beginning signs of spring, you can still tell your children about all of the things they’ll see in the following weeks.
Purchase a set of “Resurrection Eggs” to help you explain the images and religious context to the holiday. Each of the twelve different colored eggs has a small item in it. These items each symbolize a different part of the Easter story. Included with the eggs is a story written so children can understand it which gives you an explanation about what each item was and how it relates to the holiday.
If you prefer to use the idea behind the Resurrection Eggs but make your own, you can do that by gathering the following items and placing them in plastic eggs. You can read a story to the child which is written to their ability to understand.
* A small piece of bread or oyster cracker to symbolize the Passover meal Jesus shared with His disciples.
* One or two “silver” coins. These represent the coins Judas Iscariot received when he betrayed Jesus to the chief priests. They gave him 30 silver coins but it’ll be hard to put that many into the egg.
* A piece of purple cloth. Purple represents royalty to most cultures. When Jesus was being beaten before He was crucified, the soldiers put a purple robe on Him.
* A thorn taken from a rose bush. The soldiers made a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus’ head. They also handed him a stick as scepter and made fun of Him.
* A small piece of rope, thick string, or piece of leather with a knot in the end. This represents the scourge, or whip, they used to beat Jesus before they crucified him.
* A small cross to represent the cross Jesus carried on the way to Golgotha and upon which he was crucified.
* Small nails to represent the spikes they used to crucify him.
* A piece of wood with the words “This is the King of the Jews” written upon it to represent the sign placed above Jesus’ head as He hung on the cross.
* A piece of sponge to represent the sponge which was soaked in cheap wine and which was raised to Jesus while on the cross.
* A small toy spear to explain that one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side. A toothpick would also work for this item.
* A rock to explain how Jesus’ body was taken down and buried inside a tomb hewn from rock. The tomb also had a large stone rolled in front of it.
* An empty egg to help the children understand that Jesus died and was buried but that He rose from the grave and is alive today.
You may choose to use the above items or exchange them for these: cotton ball dipped in perfume to represent Mary anointing Jesus’ feet or a pair of dice to represent how the soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes. Number each egg if you can’t find 12 different colors so you know which order to open the eggs while you tell the story.
You can also purchase story books which explain Easter or pieces of religious jewelry to include in their Easter baskets. Stickers, bookmarks, and small toys can also be given which will point the children to Jesus. Of course, if your family isn’t religious, you can simply allow your children to enjoy the fun of Easter without bringing the elements of faith into the picture.
No matter if your family is religious or not, you may still want to incorporate the idea of giving to others during the Easter holiday. You don’t have to do anything elaborate to help those less fortunate. There is never a wrong time to do good to or for others.
Contact a local homeless shelter to see how many children are there. If there aren’t too many, and your family can afford it, put together a small Easter basket for them. You can usually find inexpensive, small baskets at discount stores. Fill them with candy, homemade cookies, and maybe a small toy. The children in a homeless shelter will be touched by the kindness your children show.
Call ahead and find out what you can do to make Easter special for the residents at a nursing home. Perhaps your family can sing Easter songs in the lobby so the residents can enjoy them. You don’t have to spend money to brighten a person’s day. Simply coming into the room, saying hello, and giving a hug can be the best present some of these people can get.
Take time to leave flowers on the graves of loved ones who have passed. Perhaps you can’t afford to leave an Easter lily on the graves, but daffodils or crocus should be readily available either in the wild or for little money at a florist.
Make a point to call family members or friends who live far away. Even if you can’t spend the holiday together, they’ll still enjoy hearing from you. Send pictures of the children sitting in the Easter bunny’s lap or hunting eggs. They may not be able to get the pictures until Easter is over, but do try to get the pictures to them as quickly as possible. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends enjoy getting pictures no matter what time of year it is!
Start your own family traditions. They don’t have to even be religious or related to Easter if you don’t want them to be. Choose something which has meaning for your family and build meaningful traditions around that. This could be as simple as taking a walk in the park to enjoy the signs of spring or making a cake in the shape of a lamb to enjoy for dessert.
Many people don’t realize the pagan elements to most holidays but you have to wonder if they’re really important. While it’s true the Easter bunny, dyeing eggs, and other elements of the holiday may have begun in a way people may not be comfortable with that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate. Don’t worry about where the Easter bunny comes from. Make the holiday a day of fun. Enjoy the time with your loved ones however you choose to celebrate.
