Easter - History, Facts and the Bunny Rabbit

When the chocolate bunnies come out, you know Easter is just around the corner. Not that Easter is all about chocolate. People celebrate this holiday according to their religious beliefs. Christians honor Good Friday as the day that Jesus Christ died and Easter Sunday as the day that He was resurrected. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem.

That Crazy Rabbit
The Easter bunny is another story. He wasn't always the pink or white bunny that hides chocolate eggs in your house. Long ago, he was called the Easter Hare. Some say he was a large, handsome bird that belonged to Eostre, the Pagan Goddess of dawn, fertility and new beginnings. She changed him into a rabbit, which explains why the Easter bunny now builds a nest and fills it with colored eggs.

Around The World
In some countries, like England and Germany, kids roll eggs down hills on Easter morning - a game that is kind of like the rolling of the rock away from Jesus Christ's tomb when He was resurrected. Even the President gets in on the Easter fun. At the White House in Washington, DC, kids under 12 get to roll hard-boiled eggs down the hilly lawn. Lots of families, around the world, have Easter egg hunts. And of course, there's always the big Easter dinner.

Easter Fun Facts

·  Did you know more than 118 million cards will be exchanged this year making it the fourth largest card sending event in the US?

·  The white lily is a symbol of Christ's resurrection, and that is why it is sometimes referred to as an Easter lily.

·  In 2002, more than 700 million Marshmallow Peeps were eaten in America!

·  The Cadbury Creme Egg made its debut in 1971, and since then over 300 million eggs are produced each year.

The Tradition of the Easter Lily

Many beautiful flowers blossomed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and loveliest of all was the pure white lily which held its head high above all others. Before his crucifixion, the Lord Jesus visited the garden to pray. The other flowers bowed their heads in sorrow, but the proud lily continued to hold its head high. It wasn't until the next day that the lily heard what was to be. Ever since that first Good Friday the lily has grown with a down-turned blossom to honor the Lord Jesus.

"Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity
Easters on its way!"

The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season.

The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastry and sugar

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs.

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.

"Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity
Happy Easter day"