When did the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunting become a part of Easter?

Bryan: When did the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunting become a part of Easter?
Easter was originally a religious holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but it has since become a secular holiday in the mindset of most people. There is absolutely nothing in the Bible regarding the resurrection of Jesus that is about rabbits or eggs.

I am guessing it was to get children into it, but the children probably looked more and more into the secular parts of Easter instead of the religious aspects, especially since religion has been on the decline in the U.S.

Plus, what do eggs have to do with rabbits anyway? Rabbits don’t lay eggs; they give birth like humans do.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Amy
when the church was deciding when the holidays should be they took into account the practices of Wicca and figured that if their holidays were close to the wicca ones it would be easier for them to convert, soooo now we have practices that were carried over from wicca like spring being associated with birth- eggs, bunnies etc and we also have christmas trees that came from them too!

Answer by Jan
Check out this article it may answer your question.

Answer by greenshootuk
The “Easter bunny” is most prominent in the USA and was taken there by German immigrants in the 18th century (the “Philadelphia Dutch”). In Germany there is still a tradition of the Easter Hare (NOT rabbit) – the Oschter Haws. It is first recorded in the 17th century so there is no evidence of it being a particularly ancient custom. It was not a widespread European tradition but has become better known in recent years being re-imported from the USA.

Easter eggs are more widespread being found throughout Easter Europe from where they spread throughout the Christian world. The most likely suggested origin is either in the Jewish Passover (The original root of Easter) during which eggs are traditionally eaten – hard boiled as if for a journey. The other suggestion is a link to the Lenten fast as Christians used to not eat eggs or meat for 6 weeks before Easter – eggs symbolised the end of the fast. Later symbolism accrued – new life, the tomb, red colouring for the blood of Christ.

The link between the European Hare and eggs is most likely related to the fact that hares do not burrow (like rabbits) but raise their young in nests called forms in the open fields – their colouring makes them hard to spot and they can see predators coming. These nests resemble some birds nests so a folk myth or joke arose that hares can lay eggs. Children would make nests around their garden (later baskets) for the hare(s) to lay eggs in.

There is absolutely zero historical evidence of any link to paganism, though this is now a popular myth amongst those with an anti-Christian, or antisemitic, agenda

Answer by DarkLegend28
Because the holiday has nothing to do with Jesus or some hidden anti christian agenda. And Wicca didn’t exist till Gerald Gardner published his writings in the 1960s.

I’m incredibly certain that the modern day practice of Easter is probably a mix of dozens of different traditions. But the original was certainly not Christian.

The pagan “Easter” is called “Ostara” which is the spring equinox and the celebration of fertility in the earth. You can google it and find hundreds of pages on it. But from a pagan perspective, they are all symbols of fertility.

Answer by Love of Life
“Easter” was stolen from Astaroth. Originally known as “Ashtar.” This holiday coincides with the Vernal Equinox of spring when day and night are of equal length. Known as “Eastre” to the Anglo-Saxons. As the Goddess of fertility, she was associated with rabbits and eggs. The Christians stole this holiday and twisted its meaning. Other names include: Easter, Eastre, Eos, Eostre, Ester, Estrus, (Estrus is when an animal goes into heat; mating season) Oestrus, Oistros, and Ostara. Again, the “Lamb of God” was stolen from the Zodiac sign of Aries the Ram which occurs every spring.