The Easter Bunny
"Here comes Petter Cottontail
hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity
Easters on its way!"
The Easter bunny 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.
The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's 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.