The History of The Easter Bunny

The origins of the Easter Bunny are somewhat mysterious. One theory holds that the symbol of the rabbit comes from the Pagan festival of Eostre, which celebrated a fertility goddess whose animal symbol was a bunny. Another theory posits that the tradition of the Easter Bunny delivering eggs and candy on Easter likely comes from German immigrants. When the first German immigrants arrived in America in the 1700s, they settled in Pennsylvania and brought with them their tradition of “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws,” which involved children making nests that this creature would supposedly lay its colored eggs in. Eventually, the tradition spread to the rest of the United States and the rabbit’s deliveries expanded to include candy and gifts, while the Easter baskets we are familiar with today replaced the nests from the original tradition.