Most people grew up knowing Easter as a time for colored eggs and bunnies who deliver gifts. Bunnies, eggs, and yellow chicks all stem from pagan roots. These traditions have nothing to do with the Christian religion and were started after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the Easter bunny has nothing to do with the religious aspect of Easter, he is still very interesting.

The origin of the Easter bunny can be traced back to the 13th-century when many gods and goddesses were worshipped. The goddess Eostre, who was the deity of spring and fertility, helped start the Easter bunny tradition. Her earthly symbol was the rabbit. Pre-christians worshipped the rabbit because they thought they were worshipping Eostre. The name Easter came from her name. This celebration and Christ’s resurrection were combined to form the Easter holiday.

The tradition of the Easter bunny bringing gifts seems to have originated in Germany.  He brought good children sugary, pastry treats. Children would create “nests” in their homes. The nests were created with articles of clothing such as bonnets or caps or some children would put out their shoes for the Easter bunny to fill. The children left out carrots for the bunny to show how much they appreciated their special treat. Many families consider Easter to be an early Christmas. The commercialized version of the holiday today mostly focuses on the eggs and bunnies.