What does the egg have to do with Easter?
Easter Eggs
The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection.
The egg itself became a symbol of the Resurrection. Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, the egg symbolized new life emerging from the eggshell. In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are painted red to symbolize the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. The egg-coloring tradition has continued even in modern secular nations.
The story of the Easter Bunny is thought to have become common in the 19th Century. Rabbits usually give birth to a big litter of babies (called kittens), so they became a symbol of new life. Legend has it that the Easter Bunny lays, decorates and hides eggs as they are also a symbol of new life.
Christianity adopted eggs as a symbol of fertility, resurrection, and eternal life. From the outside, eggs appear stone cold, yet inside they nurture young life. Just as a grave keeps life locked in, eggs stood for the tomb in Jerusalem, from which Christ rose from death 'like a bird hatching from an egg'.
And what do they have to do with the resurrection of Jesus? Well, nothing. Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening hats all stem from pagan roots. They were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honoring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
In a 2003 interview, Robinett recounts that Steve Wright, an Atari manager at the time, loved the idea of hidden surprises in games because they reminded him of “waking up on Easter morning and hunting for Easter eggs.” So, the hidden features became known as Easter eggs.
On the FAQs page, you'll learn all sorts of fun facts about the famed hare, like his favorite food (carrots, of course!), how he stays in shape (Egg-xercise and Hare-robics), and his age (between 400 and 500 years old—wow!).
So why does the Easter bunny bring eggs? According to Discovery News, since ancient times, eggs and rabbits have been a symbol of fertility, while spring has been a symbol of rebirth. So even though rabbits don't lay eggs, the association of these symbols was almost natural.
The egg brings hope and purity. It is a symbol of fertility and the circle of life. In some Asian cultures the egg is seen as a symbol of luck and wealth. Ancient traditions used to link the egg to the creation of the universe, suggesting that the Earth itself may have been born out of an egg.
It marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion. For many Christian churches, Easter is the joyful end to the Lenten season of fasting and penitence.
Why Friday is called Good Friday?
"That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations," the Huffington Post reported.
The Easter Bunny is female: How our Easter traditions began.
Isaiah 59:5
They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he who eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
It actually has nothing to do with the biblical Easter (obviously). It dates back to 13th Century Germany where they worshiped gods and goddesses including the goddess Eostra, who was the goddess of fertility. Since rabbits are very fertile and eggs represent fertility, that's how the bunnies and eggs came into play.
The exact origins of the Easter bunny are clouded in mystery. One theory is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from pagan tradition, specifically the festival of Eostre—a goddess of fertility whose animal symbol was a bunny. Rabbits, known for their energetic breeding, have traditionally symbolized fertility.
Santa Claus is a legend based mostly on the life of Saint Nicholas, a real-life, historical follower of Jesus Christ –a man who gave generously to those in need and fulfilled the Biblical command to love your neighbor.
They are considered unclean animals because “he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof.” So, in a biblical sense, rabbits do not really symbolize anything. Despite this, the rabbit is indelibly connected to the Christian holiday of Easter. After all, children are taught about the Easter bunny at a young age.
Is the Easter Bunny real? While there is no actual bunny that once served as the iconic hare, the legendary egg-laying rabbit is said to have been brought to America by German immigrants in the 1700s, according to History. As mentioned, children would make nests for Oschter Haws to leave behind eggs.
If you plan on eating your decorated Easter eggs, be sure to cook them all the way through to reduce the likelihood of bacteria, like salmonella. (Here are more tips from the FDA's guidelines on egg safety.) Both the yolk and the white of the egg should be firm after boiling.
In 1873 J.S. Fry & Sons of England introduced the first chocolate Easter egg in Britain. Manufacturing their first Easter egg in 1875, Cadbury created the modern chocolate Easter egg after developing a pure cocoa butter that could be moulded into smooth shapes.
What are the symbols of Easter and what do they mean?
The Easter Bunny
Easter comes during spring and celebrates new life. What springtime animals better represent fertility than the rabbit or the hare, which produce so many offspring? The rabbit symbolism had its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore, while the hare was the Egyptian symbol of fertility.
Call (415) 200–2533 and let our Yodel Bunny tell you an egg-cellent joke! Don't worry, you won't be placed on a call list or anything like that.
Wanting to Believe
Between his own intellectual development and the presence of siblings, relatives and friends who might accidentally (or not-so-accidentally) spill the beans, he'll likely figure it out on his own by the time he's about 8 or 10 years old.
Character information
Mrs. Easter Bunny is a original character only seen in Disney Parks with her husband Mr. Easter Bunny.
The chocolate egg started as a pagan symbol of fertility and spring and developed into a representation of Christ's resurrection. To this day, it still holds this meaning for a variety of people from different backgrounds across the country.