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Similar to the Christmas figure of Santa Claus, an anthropomorphized Easter Bunny may make public appearances for children.

The Easter Bunny is a mythological rabbit who brings gifts and candy to children on the Easter holiday. The Easter bunny possibly has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... (also written (136472) 2005 FY9) is a very large Kuiper belt object, and one of the two largest among the population in the classical KBO orbits. ... A typical depiction of Santa Claus. ... Anthropomorphism, also referred to as personification or prosopopeia, is the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, forces of nature, and others. ... This article is about a system of myths. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Candy (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Christian festival. ...

The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastry and sugar. The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs. The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.

Symbols

Rabbits and hares

Eggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of extreme antiquity. Since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth to large litters in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox. For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... Fertility is the natural capability of giving life. ... “Ancient” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of equinox The vernal equinox (or spring equinox) marks the beginning of astronomical spring. ...

The saying "mad as a March hare" refers to the wild caperings of hares as the males fight over the females in the early spring, then attempt to mate with them. Since the females often rebuff the males' advances before finally succumbing, the mating behavior often looks like a crazy dance; these fights led early observers to believe that the advent of spring made the hares "mad."^[1] This bold behavior makes the hares, normally timid and retiring animals, much more conspicuous to human observation in the spring. Beware! The March hare at the ready To be as mad as a March hare is an English idiomatic phrase derived from the observed antics, said to occur (incorrectly)[1] only in the March breeding season of the Hare, genus Lepus. ... This article is about the Male sex. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ...

Rabbits and hares are both prolific breeders. The females can conceive a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first. The two litters are born separately^{[citation needed]}. This phenomenon is known as superfetation. Lagomorphs mature sexually at an early age and can give birth to several litters a year (hence the sayings, "to breed like bunnies" or "multiply like rabbits"). It is therefore not surprising that rabbits and hares should become fertility symbols, or that their springtime mating antics should enter into Easter folklore. Superfetation (also spelt superfoetation, based on a false etymology — see fetus) is the formation of a fetus while another fetus is already present in the uterus. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Eggs

Eggs are, by their nature, obvious fertility symbols. As for rabbits laying eggs, several explanations have been proposed.

According to Bede of Jarrow, the etymology of the English word "Easter" comes from the Germanic month "Eostur-monath" which was the month of the year in which it was celebrated. Bede also said that the month was named for a goddess whose cult had died out named "Eostre." However, that statement from Bede is the only ancient mention of any goddess named Eostre, and the sum total of information about her. Because of the lack of any corroboration, many scholars believe that Bede was simply mistaken, and that no cult of any such goddess ever existed. For other uses, see Bede (disambiguation). ... Eostre (Easter) and Ostara are the name of a putative Germanic goddess. ...

The precise origin of the ancient custom of coloring eggs is not known. Greeks to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the color of blood, in recognition of the renewal of life in springtime (and, later, the blood of the sacrificed Christ). Some also use the color green, in honor of the new foliage emerging after the long dead time of winter. For a hidden feature or message, see Easter egg (media). ... This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ...

German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.^[2] Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. ... For other uses, see Lent (disambiguation). ...

The idea of an egg-laying bunny came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhas," sometimes spelled "Oschter Haws." "Hase" means "hare," not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit. According to the legend, only good children received gifts of colored eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter.^[3] In 1883, Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself. Noting many related landmarks and customs, Grimm suggested that these derived from legends of Ostara.^[4] (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Pennsylvania Dutch (perhaps more strictly Pennsylvania Deitsch or Pennsylvanian German) are the descendants of German immigrants who came to Pennsylvania prior to 1800. ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... A bonnet the name of different types of headwear for men and women. ... Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (January 4, 1785 – September 20, 1863), German philologist and mythologist, was born at Hanau, in Hesse-Kassel. ... This article is about the solar holiday. ...

The German and Amish legends were most likely rooted in European folklore about hares' eggs ^[5] which seems to have been a confusion between hares raising their young at ground level and the finding of plovers' nests nearby, abandoned by the adult birds to distract predators. Hares use a hollow called a form rather than a burrow. Lapwings nest on the same sort of ground, and their nests look very similar to hare forms. So in the Spring, eggs would be found in what looked like hare forms, giving rise to the belief that the hare laid eggs in the spring.^[6] This article is about Old Order Amish, but also refers to other Amish sects. ... Genera Pluvialis Charadrius Thinornis Elseyornis Peltohyas Anarhynchus Phegornis Oreopholus Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. ... Genera Erthrogonys Vanellus Lapwings are medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae of the family Charadriidae, which also includes the plovers and dotterels. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

Further reading

• Ostara's Hare: The Pagan Origin of Easter
• Easter Origins and the Easter Bunny