How the Easter Bunny Came to Be
It’s hard to believe that Easter is coming up so quickly! These past few weeks have really flown by and I had meant to have this posted earlier. If you’re like me and wonder about Easter traditions, here’s one specifically about how the Easter bunny came to be. And because the Easter bunny has become such a symbol of Easter, I’m also including a fun round up of Easter bunny themed crafts.
It may seem odd to many that a bunny has become part of the religious festival of Easter, but the truth is that the Easter Bunny origin goes further back than you might think!
Originally, the Easter bunny was a pagan symbol.
The truth is that the Easter Bunny origin goes all the way back to pagan times, where most groups would celebrate the Spring Equinox (when the sun passes over the equator) at a similar time to when Easter is celebrated by Christian cultures today. The modern day word “Easter” actually comes from the name of a pagan goddess: Eostre. Eostre was the goddess of spring, and carried the symbol of a rabbit or hare.
Hares and rabbits are known as some of the most fertile animals, and are known to reproduce around spring. Females are able to conceive a second litter of offspring when they are already pregnant with the first making them the perfect symbol of fertility for goddess Eostre, and the most obvious Easter bunny origin.
So how did this pagan symbol become associated with the Christian holiday of Easter?
The Christian festival of Easter shares many things in common with the pagan celebrations, but instead celebrates the death of Jesus and his resurrection days later. It’s generally accepted that Christians took certain elements of the pagan tradition, such as the Easter rabbit, and used them as symbols for their own celebration.
The Germans were the first to create edible Easter bunnies in the 1800s, and the tradition continued with those who settled in America. The settlers began to tell stories to their children about an Easter Hare who would leave behind colored eggs for those who were well-behaved. The hare would place the eggs in the boys’ caps and girls’ bonnets, which soon evolved to baskets.
This is how the Easter Bunny is still seen today, and many parents continue to tell their children the story of the bunny who leaves them chocolate eggs on the night before Easter each year.
I want my kiddos to know things and with Squeaker especially, I want to explore all aspects of a holiday.
- Easy Easter Craft for Toddlers from Katie’s Crochet Goodies
- Easter Bunny Masks from Red Ted Art
- Easter Bunny Craft from Kids Activities Blog (featured in the collage)
- Paper Plate Easter Bunny from Love, Play, Learn
- Easter Bunny Finger Puppets from Reading Confetti
- Easy Easter Craft for Kids from One Perfect Day
- Egg Carton Easter Bunny Craft from One Crafty Morning (featured in the collage)
- Bunny Rabbit Handprint Craft from One Crafty Morning
- Easter Bunny Cuties from Sugar Aunts
- Paper Plate Easter Bunny Mask from Learning 4 Kids
- Easter Bunny Q-tip Craft from Meaningful Mama
- Toilet Roll Easter Bunny Craft from Happy Hooligans (featured in the collage)
- Easter Bunny Craft from Nurture Store
- Easter Bunny Craft for Kids from No Time for Flashcards
- Easter Bunny Song for Kids from Let’s Play kids Music
- Easter Bunny Footprints from Paging Fun Mums
- How to Make an Easter Bunny from Kids Activities Blog
- Sewing an Easter Bunny with Kids from Coloured Buttons
- No Sew Felt Easter Bunny Placemat from Fun at Home with Kids
- Easter Bunny Craft with Thread Spools from Love and Marriage Blog (featured in the collage)
- Peep Puffy Paint Craft from One Crafty Morning
- Cupcake Liner Bunny Craft from One Crafty Morning
- Cottonball Easter Bunny Craft from Artsy Momma
- How To Make Easter Bunny Ear Headbands from Artsy Momma (featured in the collage)
- Footprint Bunny Art Canvas Print from Fun Handprint Art Blog
Kori
I love the Easter crafts! We look for new ones every year!
Happy to share!
I learned a little something — never could understand where the bunny came from, but had a few guesses.
Love all the bunny crafts!
Yeah, I was never 100% sure myself until I finally took the time to find out 🙂
I love the origin story… visiting from We Love Weekends, where I will join as a host next weekend! I hope you’ll be back with more great content!
Interesting. I didn’t know the bunny had been around so long. I sure love the chocolate that comes with him. Thank you for linking up to Tips and Tricks. Hope to see you again this week.
I have featured your Easter Bunny round-up on the #WeLoveWeekends round-up this week! I hope you’ll be back to share with us again! Happy Easter!
Even though Easter is over now, I still will like to make Easter crafts and have them put out for Easter next year. I made a really nice wooden Easter bunny and had it out in front this year and it was so cute! Thanks for the History about the Easter bunny. I had no idea.