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The History of Easter and the Easter Bunny

Do you know the history of Easter or why we celebrate the Easter Bunny on Easter?

I didn’t either. I have always wondered where the Easter Bunny tradition came from.

So I decided to do some research to find out.

I have included 2 videos from History.com I thought you might enjoy.

History.com is usually a pretty good source for facts.

The History of Easter

Recap of  The History of Easter

Easter is the Holiest day of the Christian Calendar.

Easter is a celebration of Jesus rising from the dead.

Those of Jewish origins were the first to celebrate the Resurrection.

  • The Easter celebration was called the PASHCHA which is derived from the word PESACH. The Jewish translation for Passover.
  • Originally Easter was celebrated 2 days after passover.

In 325 AD Roman Emperor Constantine ruled that Easter must fall only on a Sunday.

  • The day when Christ rose from the dead.
  • Easter would be the first Sunday to follow the full moon after the spring equinox. This can occur anywhere between March 22 and April 25.

Around this time Christians started the ritual of lighting the Paschal candle as a reminder of Christ’s Resurrection.

The term Easter may have come from Eostre the goddess of spring and fertility.

Eggs have been a symbol of birth for thousands of years.

Sometime around the 13th Century, Christians adopted the egg as an Easter custom.

  • The yoke inside a shell represents Christ’s emergence from the tomb.
  • Eggs were painted red to represent Christ’s blood that was shed on the Cross.

When did the bunny come onto the scene?

In the 16th century parents used to tell their children that if they behaved the Osterhase (bunny) would come on the eve of Easter and lay colorful eggs. That’s how the custom of the Easter egg hunt and Easter basket began.

 

 The History of Easter – Easter Traditions

Recap of The History of EasterEaster Traditions

For many of the Christian Faith, Easter is the most important holiday of the year.

It’s a day when Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.

Easter is also a popular secular holiday.

The first recorded celebration of Easter was in the 2nd century.

Where did the Easter Bunny come from?

Rabbits are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life.

The connection between rabbits and arose in the 17th century and was brought to America by German immigrants a century later.

The Easter Bunny isn’t the only animal associated with the holiday. Other animals include:

  • coo-coo bird
  • fox
  • rooster
  • stork

About Eggs

Eggs also symbolize fertility and renewal.

For centuries the Christian Church banned eggs, meat, wine, cheese and milk during Lent. It became a special treat to eat them on Easter.

Decorating eggs is one of the oldest Easter customs.

In the late 19th century Russian Royalty and others from High Society began giving jeweled eggs as an Easter gift.. Peter Carl Faberge was the artist that created these jeweled eggs.

About Candy

For most Americans Easter is about the candy. Us Candy manufacturers make 90 million chocolate bunnies and 16 billion jelly beans every year.

More candy is sold for Easter than any other holiday except Halloween.

88% of American parents prepare Easter baskets for their children.

 

In conclusion, Easter is the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. The first to celebrate the Resurrection were of Jewish Origin. Eggs are a symbol of birth. Christians adopted the egg as an Easter Custom in the 13th century and it represents Christ’s emergence from the tomb. Eggs painted red represent the blood Christ shed on the cross.The rabbit was introduced in the 17th century. German emigrants brought the tradition to America a century later.

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