Fluffy Bunnies, Colourful Eggs And Cute Little Yellow Chicks: Easter Protagonists, But Why?

Ah, Easter!

When Jesus was resurrected, when Lent gets over, when adorable little kids hop like bunnies and decorate eggs; with tiny yellow chicks and Easter hats AND lots of treats. 

Well, Easter bunnies and eggs and chicks find mention in the Bible… NOT!

Why are we celebrating Easter with all these symbols if they’re not associated with Christianity? Read on to find out!

The bunnies are a Pagan thing…

Surprised? Because we were when we found out that the bunny aspect of Easter actually comes from Pre-Christian Germany and Germanic tribes known as Anglo-Saxons. The Anglo-Saxons worshipped many Gods and Goddesses, one of whom is Eostre! Eostre is the AS Goddess of Spring, and Spring is associated with fertility! She consorted with a hare (bunny), and this might have been the original inspiration for our dear fluffy Easter bunny.

But that’s not all. Because rabbits are associated with fertility and new life, the idea of the Easter bunny went well with Christians as symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus (this happened in the 17^th C). Later, when Germans immigrated to America, they introduced their tale of an egg-laying hopper. Children would build nests for these bunnies to lay eggs in, and leave out some tasty carrots if the jumpy ever got hungry. That’s how these cotton-soft egg-laying rabbits started being associated with Easter.

But what about the eggs?

Well, the Roman Catholic Church had put eggs in the list of things to avoid during the month of Lent. Eggs, being a staple among nearly everyone, were dearly missed. So right before Lent got over, people got excited to eat eggs again. To show their excitement, they started decorating and painting eggs! 

Another reason for Easter eggs is that, among the Pagans, eggs have been a symbol of renewal. This Pagan symbol that came from Germany quickly mixed with Christianity and was a joy for kids who could now play the Easter egg hunt!

And the chicks?

Easy enough! Chicks hatching out of eggs symbolizes new life. Yes, just that. 

So you see, even though these symbols have Pagan origins, they’re a part of Easter because they represent fertility, spring, new life and rebirth.

Make sure to share this story with your friends and family for a few extra smart points!

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