not what the Germans had in mind.
Once April rolls around I allow myself to unleash my Cadbury Creme Egg obsession in full force. Easter has some of the best holiday candy and chocolate. Who can resist a chocolate bunny or eggs stuffed with sugary goodness?
But when you stop and think about it, exactly what do those have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Yeah. I was unclear too.
Apparently Hares were to medieval church art what Kate Moss is to fashion magazines.
Well, move over Santa because the Easter Bunny, or Easter Hare as it was originally known, was conjured up by German Lutherans who relied on the bunny to judge if children had been good or bad at the beginning of the Easter season. Actually, sounds suspiciously like Santa Claus.
Germans also started the tradition of the Easter Bunny bringing children gifts and treats. But why a bunny?
Apparently hares were to Medieval church art what Kate Moss is to fashion magazines.
It also didn’t hurt that there was a notion that hares could reproduce without losing their virginity, which invited a plethora of comparisons to the Virgin Mary.
Now we may never know which came first, the Easter Bunny or the Easter Egg, but eggs became associated with the holiday because they are a symbol of fertility. The origins of coloring and decorating Easter eggs aren’t completely documented, but people started dying their Easter eggs red to symbolize Jesus Christ’s sacrificed blood. Gives you the warm and fuzzies, right? Green was also used to represent spring. Again, Christmas colors?
The 18th century is when the egg-laying bunny immigrated to the U.S. and, shortly thereafter, the Easter Bunny and its candy industry were born.
Now if we could only learn the history of Peeps….
photo credit: Kate Moss for Playboy
