How did the easter bunny and easter eggs come into being?
438690
They are Pagan symbols of fertility originally used in the celebration of Eastre, the welcoming of spring on the vernal equinox.\n\nChristians later adopted Eastre traditions so as to blend in to the Pagan majority while attempting to recruit converts. They also adopted the name and the date as well, until the Constantine changed the name and declared the "Easter Rule" at the Council of Nicaea. The Council of Nicaea was also when the Christian Church adopted the Pagan idea of the trinity to apply to "the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," and was also the meeting at which the cross was made the official symbol of Christianity.
438748
most kids think easter bunny when they think of easter.  It is supposed to be a day of religion but most people eat chocolate and hide eggs.
475204
IN THE SPRING, MOST CULTURES CELEBRATE FERTILITY.  WE KNOW THAT BUNNIES PRODUCE PRODIGIOUSLY, AND EGGS REPRESENT NEW LIFE.  IN MAKING CHRISTIANY UNDERSTANDABLE TO PAGAN CULTURES, MISSIONARIES USED THE PAGAN SYMBOLS TO ASSIST IN TEACHING CHRISTIAN TRUTH.  EASTER IS CELEBRATED IN THE SPRING.  THUS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HARMOMIZE THE LIFE AND TRUTH OF THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE TO THE SPRING CELEBRATIONS OF FERTILITY & NEW LIFE IN OTHER CULTURES.
612112
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/aforigin.html you will find all the answers about April fools on this site their are many different theories as to where it originated from enjoy the page.
424244
"The English and German names, "Easter" and "Ostern", ... are instead related to ancient names for the month of April, Eostremonat and Ostaramanoth respectively. According to the 8th century Christian monk and historian Bede, this month was dedicated to the pagan fertility goddess Eostre. The Easter Bunny is often identified as a remnant of this fertility festival, although there is no evidence of any link."\n\nIn other languages the name for "Easter" is derived from the hebrew "Pesach" for the Passover holiday (ex french: Pâques, spanish: Pascua).  Only in the Germanic languages is it based on the older holiday.
979061
this question would not be able to EVER be exact. Are you looking for people that celebrate religiously or are you looking for people who hunt for eggs. to be honest with you Easter started as a pagan holiday. eggs and bunnies have nothing to do with Christ, us Christians "moved" days around so the pagans would not have a holiday of theirs.
453150
The Easter Bunny (also known as the Spring Bunny in some parts of the United States) is a fantasy or mythological rabbit which leaves gifts for children at Easter (or at springtime). It originates in Western European cultures, where it is a hare rather than a rabbit.\n\nGerman Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.\n\nThe idea of an egg-laying rabbit came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase" (also: "Oschter Haws"). "Hase" means "hare", not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit.\n\nOnly good children received gifts of colored eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. Presumably, the Oschter Haws laid them when the children were not looking.\n\nA hundred years later Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself. Noting many related landmarks and customs, Grimm suggested that these derived from legends of Ostara.\n\nEaster Hare\nThe Romans believed that all life proceeded from an egg, so the egg came to symbolize birth and rebirth. Christians regarded eggs as the seeds of life and attributed them with the symbol of Jesus' resurrection. \n\nThe rabbit was used in early Easter celebrations to symbolize fertility, perhaps because these animals give birth to multiple offspring at a time. Anglo-Saxon mythology says that Ostara changed her pet bird into a rabbit to entertain a group of children, and the rabbit laid brightly colored eggs for them. \n\nEaster was once celebrated by giving colored eggs to children and later evolved to hiding them in the grass, where they had supposedly been laid by a hare. Children referred to this Easter mascot as the "Easter Hare," which later became known as the "Easter Bunny."
457138
Hey wanna know something?\n\nOkay only a select few know this so dont go telling everyone.\n\nYour going to be shocked by this, your gonna be like DUH its so obivous\n\nWhew here we go.....\n\n\nGOD DOESNT EXIST !!!!\nTHE EASTER BUNNY DOESNT EXIST !!!!\nSANTA CLAUS DOESNT EXIST !!!!\nSuperman Exists !!!!\nTHE TOOTH FAIRY DOESNT EXIST !!!!
420919
Easter is derived from an ancient Germanic name for the month of April, Eostremonat--or rather Eostre Month, in dedication to the goddess Eostre. Eostre, or Ostara was a German goddess of fertility and her return was marked by the coming of spring and the sun. The Ost in her name refers to the East--the rising of the sun. The rebirth of the day and the rebirth of the spring were her specialties, and her celebrations occured during the vernal equinox--the first day of spring. Of course calendar dates have gotten juggled about for quite a few different reasons over time and now April is no longer where it once was on the calendar at what is now March 21st.\n\nThe rabbit was a traditional symbol of the goddess because of its great fertility, and the fact that the coming of spring marked the time when all of the little bunnies were seen starting to be born.\n\nWhen Christianity became the predominant religion it was an easy transition to introduce the rebirth of the Christ figure into the already extant birth and rebirth tradition. Old ways die hard, and the bunny stuck around. \n\nAlthough there are several explanations for the eggs the Easter bunny brings, (other than eggs are another traditional symbol of birth/rebirth) the most likely is that eggs were forbidden during the fast of lent, and were decorated and eaten in abundance to mark the end of the fast.\n\nGerman protestants, although breaking with Roman Catholocism and the tradition of the lent fast, liked the egg tradition and kept it. And when German immigrants came to America, they brought with them the traditions of the Osterhase (Easter hare) and his eggs.\n\nInasmuch as Christianity has stolen the ancient goddess' name for their own holiday, it seems only fitting that its original mascot still puts in an appearance each year.
477079
I will do an Irish jig and go look for this rabbit\n\n\nhttp://www.daylon.com/easter/
783067
Did you say that the Easter Bunny don't exist??\n\n\n\n\nWAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!
418406
Easter was a pagen holiday, for fertility. I know this is cliche, but have you ever heard the term "Multipling like rabbits"? Ergo - Bunnies. I am not entirely certain that is why the bunny is there, but I am certain easter was a fertility holiday.
582612
You mean ...what came first...Chicken or Egg...?
694977
Apparently the chicken came first.  Then the eggs.  According to Genesis anyway.
452139
:}\nIsn't it interesting that many of these same Correspondences have been retained in the Christian celebration of easter. Not only have they been retained, but they have taken on new and meaningful symbolism. \nEven the name of the Holiday:  Eostre's Day and Easter Day \nEaster bunnies and colored eggs including the Pastel Colours:\nPink, Yellow, Grass Green, Robin's Egg Blue\n\nI for one am thankful that pagan holiday which was as lust oriented as was the Vernal Equinox could have been apropiated to such an important spiritual purpose.
338206
German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.\n\nThe idea of an egg-laying rabbit came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase" (also: "Oschter Haws"). "Hase" means "hare", not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit.\n\nOnly good children received gifts of colored eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. Presumably, the Oschter Haws laid them when the children were not looking.\n\nA hundred years later Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself. Noting many related landmarks and customs, Grimm suggested that these derived from legends of Ostara.
538875
The true meaning of Easter has nothing to do with Jesus. Some Christians decided that's when they were going to have one of their festivals because they thought that stealing Pagan dates, etc. would encourage more Pagans to convert to Christianity. Easter, or Eostre, is a Pagan godess of fertility. That's what the eggs and bunnies are all about.