where did the Easter bunny come from?
553525
The Easter Bunny (sometimes known controversially as the Spring Bunny in some parts of the United States) is an imaginary or mythical 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\nEggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of extreme antiquity; since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth (to large litters) in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox.\n\nThe saying "mad as a March Hare" refers to the wild caperings of hares as the males fight over the females in the early spring, then attempt to mate with them. Since the females often rebuff the males' advances before finally succumbing, the mating behavior often looks like a crazy dance; these fights led early observers to believe that the advent of spring made the hares "mad". Rabbits and hares are both lagomorphs; they are prolific breeders. The females can conceive a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first (the two are born separately); this phenomenon is known as superfetation. Lagomorphs mature sexually at an early age and can give birth to several litters a year (hence the saying, "to breed like bunnies"). It is therefore not surprising that rabbits and hares should become fertility symbols, or that their springtime mating antics should enter into Easter folklore; however, the notion of a rabbit that lays eggs seems to have emerged from a confusion of two formerly separate sybolisms.\n\nThe precise origin of the custom of coloring eggs is not known, although it too is ancient; Greeks to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the color of blood, in recognition of the renewal of life in springtime (and, later, the blood of the sacrificed Christ). Some also use the color green, in honor of the new foliage emerging after the long "dead" time of winter. Other colors, including the pastels (possibly symbolizing the rainbow, another seasonal sign of luck and hope), seem to have come along later. The act of eating colored eggs at the Spring Equinox can be considered a form of sympathetic magic or prayer for increased fertility, and for a bountiful harvest later in the year.\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". "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\nAccording to American tradition, the Easter Bunny leaves baskets of treats (including Easter eggs and assorted chocolates and candy) on Easter morning for good children. Sometimes children leave out carrots for the Easter Bunny, which is similar to the practice of leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus.\n\nIn the United States, revelers hide decorated hard-boiled eggs and children hunt for them. People also hide plastic eggs filled with candy or money.\n\nIn some places in the United States, some refer to the Easter Bunny as the "Spring Bunny" due to perceived religious overtones. The change has been met with significant critic
336110
I think it comes from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
308818
The Easter Bunny is one among many pagan symbols associated with the Christian Easter holiday.  In fact, even the name of the holiday "Easter" is a pagan reference to the pagan goddess of spring, Eostre.  The bunny is a pagan symbol of fertility.  The eggs are also a sign of fertility.  Don't ask me why the bunny brings the eggs...I don't know what that bunny was doing to the chicken!\n\nIt's generally understood that, in order to reduce conflict and increase adoption of the Catholic faith (which has been the dominant "version" of Christianity for most centuries), the Catholic Church integrated many pagan symbols, festivals, etc. into Christian holidays.  Christmas, for example, is another solstice celebration that borrowed many elements from pagan Mithrasism and Saturnalia.
1164826
its easter bunny magic
235203
The origin of this custom has been much disputed, and many theories have been suggested, e.g. that it is a farcical commemoration of Christ being sent from Annas to Caiaphas, from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate, the crucifixion having taken place about the 1st of April.\n\nWhat seems certain is that it is in some way or other a relic of those once universal festivities held at the vernal equinox, which, beginning on old New Year's day, the 25th of March, ended on the 1st of April. This view gains support from the fact that the exact counterpart of April-fooling is found to have been an immemorial custom in India. The festival of the spring equinox is there termed the feast of Holi, the last day of which is the 31st of March, upon which the chief amusement is the befooling of people by sending them on fruitless errands.\n\nIt has been plausibly suggested that Europe derived its April-fooling from the French [1]. They were the first nation to adopt the reformed Gregorian calendar, Charles IX in 1564 decreeing that the year should begin with the 1st of January. Thus the New Year's gifts and visits of felicitation which had been the feature of the 1st of April became associated with the first day of January, and those who disliked or did not hear about the change were fair butts for those wits who amused themselves by sending mock presents and paying calls of pretended ceremony on the 1st of April.\n\nHowever, it is unlikely that this explanation of April Fool's Day’s origin is correct. Well before 1582 when King Charles IX of France brought in the new Gregorian calendar, French and Dutch references from respectively 1508 and 1539 describe April Fool's Day jokes and the custom of making them on the first of April.\n\nThough the 1st of April appears to have been anciently observed in Great Britain as a general festival, it was apparently not until the beginning of the 18th century that the making of April-fools was a common custom. In Scotland the custom was known as "hunting the gowk," i.e. the cuckoo, and April-fools were "April-gowks," the cuckoo being there, as it is in most lands, a term of contempt. In France the person befooled is known as poisson d'avril. This has been explained from the association of ideas arising from the fact that in April the sun quits the zodiacal sign of the fish. A far more natural explanation would seem to be that the April fish would be a young fish and therefore easily caught.\n\nThe Dutch history book-version is this: In 1572 The Netherlands were still ruled by the Spanish king Phillip II, son of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Because the Dutch did not comply with this, they fought back. There was this band of roaming so-called freedom fighters, what we'd now call terrorists, calling themselves Geuzen, after the french geux which means beggars. They were sailing around the Northsea looking for Spanish ships to sink and after a while they got tired and needed some rest, but having no Dutch port to land in, they figured they'd capture one. So on April 1, 1572, they took this little coastal town called Den Briel. This event was also the start of the general civil rising against the Spanish in other cities in The Netherlands. This general phillip had send up called Alva was very upset and all but he couldn't do much. Bril is the Dutch word for glasses, so on April 1, 1572, Alva lost his glasses. Dutch people find this joke so hilarious they still commemorate April the first.
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Eastern is pointing something near the east. for example, he came from the eastern part of the isalnd. Easter is the day we celebrate the rising of Jesus from death during lenten season.\n\nIf ur reffering to nations on the east, try "oriental".
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EASTER A BRIEF HISTORY\n\nThe name “Easter” comes to America from Ostera or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. The origin goes back to 2000 BC in Babylonia honoring the goddess of spring Ishtar. Ishtar the mother/wife of their god Tammuz brought him back from the underworld. In Phoenecia she became Astarte, in Greece Eostre, and in Germany Ostara. Consider also a Phrygian honoring Attis and Cybele or a heretic Israelite honoring the Canaanite Baal and Ashtoreth. All of these are fertility celebrations of death and resurrection.\n\nEASTER IN THE KING JAMES\n\nThe word “Easter” occurs in the King James Bible ONE TIME and is mistranslated. It should be translated PASSOVER.\n\nActs 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. \n\nEaster G3957 pascha (pas'-khah) Of Chaldee origin (compare [H6453]); the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it): - Easter, Passover.\n\nH6453  pesach (peh'-sakh) From H6452; a pretermission, that is, exemption; used only technically of the Jewish Passover (the festival or the victim): - passover (offering).\n\nH6452 pasach (paw-sakh') A primitive root; to hop, that is, (figuratively) skip over (or spare); by implication to hesitate; also (literally) to limp, to dance: - halt, become lame, leap, pass over.\n\nTHE ORIGINAL PASSOVER A SHADOW\n\nExo.12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. Exo.12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. Exo.12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as He hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. Exo.12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? Exo.12:27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. \n\nWhat did it say in Exo.12:26? What mean ye by this service?\n\nWhat did it say in Exo.12:27? It is the SACRIFICE of the LORD'S Passover.\n\nThis was a shadow, that is a silhouette or likeness, of Christ’s crucifixion. Israel was in bondage to the Egyptians. We were in bondage to sin.\n\nCHRIST OUR PASSOVER\n\nI Cor.5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? I Cor.5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: I Cor.5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. \n\nChrist our Passover is SACRIFICED for us.\n\nIT IS PROBABLY TRULY DISGUSTING TO FATHER \n\nAs with most Christian holidays, Easter has been secularized and commercialized. We have Easter bunnies, eggs, baskets, bonnets, parades and etc. \n\nKnowing now the origins of Easter, the fallacy of Easter and the sacrifice Christ made for us; I am truly ashamed of myself. We should not be celebrating Easter. We should be celebrating Christ our Passover with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. \n\nWhat is your answer to a child who asks, “What mean ye by this service?” I pray your answer is not Easter.\n\nWhat does God think, about what He sees and hears during this special time of year?
174412
The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention   The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre   The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit.\n\n The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America   It was widely ignored y other Christians until shortly after the Civil War   In fact, Easter itself was not wide y celebrated in America until after that tim \n\nThe Easter Eg\n\n As with the Easter Bunny and the holiday itself, the Easter Egg predates the Christi n holiday of Easter   The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuri s old when Easter was first celebrated by Christian\n\n From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures   Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf o , if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flower\n\n Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real East r eggs -- those made of plastic or chocolate cand
329486
:{\nIve heard that the Easter bunny is an unfortunate hold over from previous pagan religious celebrations of birth, it goes well however with the concept of Christian rebirth
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.
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.
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.
419428
the bunny was considered by pre-christians as a symbol of spring due to its fertility. why the bunny has eggs? no clue...
1045743
Only with great difficulty.\n\nSee http://www.davros.org/misc/easter.html
394307
Easter is the celebration of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
714832
"Easter" is a variation of the name "Astarte" - a fertility goddess of some ancient civilization (Babylonian?  Assyrian?  Other?).  What better symbol of fertility than bunnies and eggs (I don't know why we dye them and hide them)?
557818
The Easter Bunny. (needed a place to hide all those Easter eggs).