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The History of the Easter Bunny, and more!

© Arden Davidson

The tale of the Easter bunny originated because of rabbits' legendary fertility. In pre-Christian times, the rabbit served as a symbol of the new life during the Spring season.

The bunny was first used as a symbol of Easter in 16th century Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings. The first edible Easter bunnies, made primarily of pastry and sugar, were produced in Germany as well, during the early 1800s.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The children believed that if they behaved, a nest of colored eggs would be their reward.

The children would build their nest in an isolated area just outside the home, such as the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls used 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.

Some cool Easter Bunny links...

There's No Page Like Home for the Holidays ~Presents~ The Easter Bunny - includes lyrics to "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropoli...

Letters from the Easter Bunny (personalized letters from Peter Cottontail) http://hometown.aol.com/LewR93/Easter_Bu...

The Adventerous Bunny and Easter Island - Read an online story chronicling the wild adventures of a shipwrecked bunny. http://learningbox.com/bunny/

Absolutely Easter - Contains links to Easter games and stories for children, plus facts, stories and quizzes http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7134/...