Easter Bunny Food Recipes Cooking International Guide
Easter Bunny Brings Decorated Eggs
By Katerina Octanova
The hare symbolizes fertility, as the females can carry several
different litters of babies at one time; hence the saying, "multiply
like rabbits." It is not surprising that this animal became
the symbol of springtime and new life.
It is strange, though, that the Easter holiday blended spring
pagan festival icons with the resurrection of Jesus. In fact,
the Easter bunny has nothing to do with the Christian holiday,
but is a fun icon for children; much like Santa Claus is to Christmas.
An Earthly Symbol Of Fertility
Some say the Easter bunny pre-dates Christianity, going back
to the Anglo-Saxon festival celebrating springtime, the vernal
equinox and its gods. The venerable Bede, a Benectine Monk who
died in 735 AD, said "Eostre" was the name for the goddess
of fertility. Her sidekick was none other than a hare, an earthly
symbol of fertility.
Some legends say Eostre cast the hare into the heavens to create
the constellation called "Lepus the Hare," while others
purport that Eostre gave the hare the ability to lay eggs once
a year. Even though the practice of worshipping the goddess had
ended by the time Bede wrote about it, the goddess’s name still
came strikingly close to the word "Easter," yet, then
again, it is also similar to the ancient word for spring, which
is "Eastre."
Eater Bunny Brings Decorated Eggs To Good Children
The Germans wrote of "Oschterhase" (pronounced "Oschter
Haws") in the 14th Century, which was described as one of
"childhood’s greatest pleasures," like the arrival of
Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve. Children built brightly colored
nests in their barns and, if they were good, the Easter bunny
would bring them decorated eggs.
Today the practice of hiding Easter eggs and having Easter baskets
still persists. Americans learned of this iconoclast figure in
the early 1800s when German settlers came to the Pennsylvania
Dutch colony. Around the same time, the first bunny-shaped treat
for Easter was sold in Germany, comprised of pastry and sugar,
which later morphed into the more popular chocolate bunnies.
There has been some dispute over the years. Scholars maintain
that the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility was always
accompanied by a hare, not a rabbit. While both creatures appear
similar, with big brown eyes, soft fur, big feet and even bigger
ears, there are some key distinctions.
Differences Between A Rabbit And A Hare
For instance, baby hares are born with their eyes open, with
fur and are fairly self-sufficient, while rabbits are born blind,
hairless and helpless. For this reason, the ancient Egyptians
believed that hares watched the full moon all night long, even
through the womb of the mother hare.
Additionally, rabbits were domesticated, but hares remained wild
and untamed. While rabbits burrow into underground dens, it is,
in fact, the hare that creates above-ground nests; like the Easter
bunny. However, it was the rabbit who proved to be a more prolific
breeder, which is perhaps why rabbits lived on as the symbol of
Easter.
About the Author:
Katerina Octanova has written a number of articles on food and
cooking including Christmas
Gift Baskets, The
Christmas, Christmas,
Santa
Claus, Christmas
Hamper, Christmas
Party, Christmas
Gift For The Office, Christmas
Gift Idea For Family.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
April is a very special month for Christians. On the 12th of
April an important holiday will arrive that holds monumental importance
for the Christian faith. It marks the day that Jesus Christ is
said to have arisen from his tomb after his crucifixion.
Even those that do not celebrate the religious aspects of the
day, still like to follow the more commercial tradition of an
Easter basket for the kids and family. You can put anything you
want in the basket. It may be a small pendant or it could be some
delicious, gourmet chocolates.
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