General
March 30, 2023
Have you ever wondered how a white, long-eared, cotton-tailed rabbit who hops from house to house delivering baskets of colored eggs came to symbolize Easter? Or for that matter why Easter is even called “Easter” in the first place? If so, then you’re not alone – read on to find out.
Happy Eostre?
The arrival of spring is usually synonymous with the celebration of Easter. Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth, and Easter is thought to originate from the celebration of the festival of Eostre – who is the pagan goddess of spring and fertility and whose symbols were hares (rabbits) and eggs.
Rabbits, well-known for their enthusiastic breeding, have traditionally symbolized fertility. And eggs, representative of new life and rebirth, have also characterized fertility since ancient times.
Over the millennia, these two symbolic representations merged to become a beloved part of present-day Easter traditions.
Hippity Hopping Down the Bunny Trail
So how does the Easter Bunny fit into all of this? Many historians believe the Easter Bunny was first introduced to North America by German immigrants in the 1700s, who reportedly brought with them their tradition of an egg-laying rabbit called the “Osterhase” or “Easter Hare”.
Similar to Santa Claus with his “naughty or nice” list, legend has it that the Easter Hare’s original role was to judge whether or not children displayed good or bad behaviour at “Eastertide” (Easter time) and reward them accordingly. As part of the legend, the Easter Hare would lay colourful eggs as gifts to children who were good, and so the children would build nests in which the rabbit could lay its eggs.
Eventually the custom spread, and over time the tradition grew — with nests evolving into baskets and the delivery of coloured eggs expanding to include chocolate, candy, and other delicious treats.
Easter Fun Facts
- Candy is a relatively recent Easter tradition. Chocolate eggs, the most popular Easter candy, were first made in Europe in the early 1800s.
- Easter is the second biggest candy holiday after Halloween.
- According to a study, the top voted Easter candy treats in order are: eggs, bunnies, jelly beans and marshmallows.
- 70% of Easter candy purchased is chocolate, with approximately 90 million chocolate bunnies sold in North America alone.
- 76% of people eat their chocolate Easter bunny ears-first.
- The world’s largest chocolate egg was made in Italy in 2011. It measured approximately 34 feet (10.36 m) in length and weighed approximately 15,873 lbs (7,200 kg).
- Red is the most popular colour of jellybean. During Easter, it’s estimated that North Americans will eat approximately 16 million jellybeans – enough to circle the world 3 times.
Did you know?
While the Easter Bunny may be the most famous, it’s not always a rabbit that brings Easter eggs and chocolate. In Australia, it’s the Easter Bilby, an endangered rabbit-like marsupial native to that country. While in Switzerland it’s the Easter Cuckoo, and in some parts of Germany it’s the Easter Fox or Easter Rooster. Looks like the Easter Bunny has some competition!