As Easter nears, many people are preparing for the holiday by purchasing chocolates, decorating their homes with eggs and baskets and settling down and enjoying the Spring weather. Easter is known as the day where people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ; but for children, it's mainly about one thing...the Easter Bunny. The Easter bunny has been in tradition as early as 1600 and traces back to the pre-Christian fertility legend. The legend says that the creature brings baskets filled with eggs, toys, candy and many other kids related items to the children's houses on the eve of Easter. But where in the world did a rabbit come from? It is said to have first appeared in Alsace and Germany where its first mention was in the writings of German novelists. The Rabbit made its way to American through German settlers who introduced the idea of the rabbit during the 1700s.
According to the early Germans, eggs much like rabbits represent fertility and life. The rabbit is a symbol of breeding and is mentioned quite a bit in Easter folklore. In the German tradition, children would build colored nests in isolated areas of the house and the Oschter Haws (a transcription of a dialect pronunciation of the German Osterhase) would lay eggs in the baskets. This tradition progressed throughout the 18 and 1900s and soon it was known that Easter baskets were hidden because of this reason. Easter is a holiday to celebrate life, fertility and good health as well as time to spend with good friends and family. The Easter Bunny brings good fortune and fun for the children and will continue to remain a popular animal for years to come.
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