Easter Bunny

Tue, Mar 31, 2009

The Easter Bunny is a mythological rabbit who carries eggs and candy to children in a basket on the Easter holiday. Its origin is disputed; some trace it to alleged pre-Christian fertility lore, others to the role of the hare in Christian iconography.

The rabbit as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Alsace and South-West-Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1600s. 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 throughout the country.