20 Mar How did we get the Easter Bunny?
Hippity hoppity, here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping along the bunny trail. The Easter bunny comes and visits little boys and girls every spring. He hides eggs filled with treats, and brings baskets full of gifts for the kids. However, where does he come from? Where does the bunny trail that he hops along every year start?
If you think about it, it makes sense. Spring is the season for rebirth. The flowers are in bloom and little critters are seeing the world for the first time. Way back when, most pagan cultures celebrated the springtime with festivals. Other cultures celebrated a spring goddess Eostre. Eostre was associated with rabbits, and eggs, which are both symbols of fertility.
It’s common in history for Christian followers to turn pagan traditions into Christian holidays. Easter, and Eostre sound and look very similar and so the mixing of the two was easy. The mystery grows through when you look at German folklore.
The Easter bunny we know today is a combination of several different cultures, not just German culture. America, being the melting pot it is, took everything the world believed about the bunny, and formed the Easter culture we know today. Overtime the Easter Bunny started to bring chocolates and small toys.
The Easter Bunny has become commercialized over time. Bigger gifts, and more candy are expected every year. The story is getting lost in the glitz and glam of the gifts. However, the stories of the legendary cottontail can still be found in old folk tales.