Although Easter is considered a Christian holiday which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, it has its origins in non-Christian events. The pagan origin of this holiday is to celebrate spring. Some scholars believe that the celebration of Easter had to do with fertility and new life.

The origin of the word Easter is actually from the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, the goddess of dawn. Passover in Hebrew and Easter in Eastern Europe are both referred to as Pesach.

Since the rabbit is one of the most fertile animals alive, it is considered a symbol of fertility. In the days before Christianity, rabbits, due to their fertile nature also became a symbol of new life. Spring is the season when new life begins across the countryside and therefore, it is only natural to consider the rabbit as a symbol of such.

In particular, it is commonly thought that the German people introduced the Easter Bunny to America. If children of German descent behaved and were good, the Easter Bunny would arrive and lay several colored eggs for them. Bright colors were painted on the eggs to symbolize the bright, new colors associated with spring. A German fable also suggests that the eggs were brightly colored so that their ownership could be readily identified if a famine were to occur.

Children began to leave a nest, for the rabbit to lay the eggs, in their caps or bonnets. They would leave their nests in a secluded place, such as an outdoor garden or barn, so the rabbit could leave the eggs in secrecy. In time, baskets were used instead of bonnets and caps.

Easter Trivia:
1. Easter Island, in the South Pacific, was discovered by Europeans on Easter Sunday, 1772.
2. In 1916, Ireland began an uprising that was known as the Easter Rebellion because it began on Easter Day.
4. An ancient Easter tradition in Poland was Smingus-Dyngus. This tradition involves people throwing water on each other.
5. White flowers are popular during Easter because they symbolize purity.
6. Lent, the time of repentance that Christians observe before Easter, lasts for 46 days.
7. Baby bunnies are called kits.
8. Peter Cottontail gets jellybeans for a boy named Tommy.
9. Oster Haas is German for Easter Bunny.
10. Purple, commonly used as an Easter color, was obtained from crushed shellfish in ancient days.
11. Ukrainian Easter eggs are the most elaborate Easter eggs and are made with wax and dye.

By Susan M. Keenan ©2006