Why does the Easter bunny carry eggs? Rabbits don't lay eggs.?

Answer 1

Eggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of extreme antiquity; since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth (to large litters) in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox.

The saying "mad as a March Hare" refers to the wild caperings of hares as the males fight over the females in the early spring, then attempt to mate with them. Since the females often rebuff the males' advances before finally succumbing, the mating behavior often looks like a crazy dance; these fights led early observers to believe that the advent of spring made the hares "mad". Rabbits and hares are both lagomorphs; they are prolific breeders. The females can conceive a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first (the two are born separately); this phenomenon is known as superfetation. Lagomorphs mature sexually at an early age and can give birth to several litters a year (hence the saying, "to breed like bunnies"). It is therefore not surprising that rabbits and hares should become fertility symbols, or that their springtime mating antics should enter into Easter folklore; however, the notion of a rabbit that lays eggs seems to have emerged from a confusion of two formerly separate symbolisms.

The precise origin of the custom of colouring eggs is not known, although it too is ancient; Greeks to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the color of blood, in recognition of the renewal of life in springtime (and, later, the blood of the sacrificed Christ). Some also use the color green, in honor of the new foliage emerging after the long "dead" time of winter. Other colors, including the pastels (possibly symbolizing the rainbow, another seasonal sign of luck and hope), seem to have come along later. The act of eating coloured eggs at the Spring Equinox can be considered a form of sympathetic magic or prayer for increased fertility, and for a bountiful harvest later in the year.

German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.

The idea of an egg-laying rabbit came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase". "Hase" means "hare", not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit.

Only good children received gifts of colored eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. Presumably, the "Oschter Haws" laid them when the children were not looking.

A hundred years later Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself. Noting many related landmarks and customs, Grimm suggested that these derived from legends of Ostara.

According to American tradition, the Easter Bunny leaves baskets of treats (including Easter eggs and assorted chocolates and candy) on Easter morning for good children. Sometimes children leave out carrots for the Easter Bunny, which is similar to the practice of leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus.

Amsterdam, in Amsterdam he is said to eat children in the middle of the night if they're not in beds but give them presents if they're in bed

In the United States, revelers hide decorated hard-boiled eggs and children hunt for them. People also hide plastic eggs filled with candy or money.

In some places in the United States, some refer to the Easter Bunny as the "Spring Bunny" due to perceived religious overtones. The change has been met with significant criticism.

In Australia, rabbits are an invasive species and generally considered pests. A long-running campaign to replace the Easter Bunny with the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial, yielded moderate success. Easter Bilbies are a common and unremarked sight in many Australian stores around Easter. The sale of chocolate Easter Bilbies was to fund raise for the "Save the Bilby" campaign. As the bilby is a threatened species, it does not have the same connotations as rabbits, and the Easter Bunny remains considerably more recognized and better-known.

In France and Belgium, the eggs are not laid by rabbits, but dropped from the sky by the cloches de Pâques (Easter bells). In Christian tradition, church bells were silenced on Easter Friday, out of respect for the death of Christ and rang again on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection. The church bells, represented as flying bells (with wings), are said to have gone to Rome and flown back on Easter morning, loaded with eggs which they drop on their way back.

The politically correct name of Spring Bunny was coined in very recent years in some parts of the United States; however, this term never gained widespread use.

Recently, a neopagan legend has sprung up concerning the Easter Bunny. Though it is usually circulated as an ancient Pagan tradition, it does not appear before 1990; it is presented by a fictitious character, Mrs. Sharp, created by an author of inspirational aphorisms. (Sarah Ban Breathnach, 'Nostalgic Suggestions for Re-Creating the Family Celebrations and Seasonal Pastimes of the Victorian Home'). It reached a far wider audience when in 2002 a version of the story, The Coming of Eostre, was published in the children's magazine Cricket.

According to the story, the goddess Eostre found a wounded bird in the snow. To help the little bird survive the winter, she transformed it into a rabbit, but the transformation was incomplete and the rabbit retained the ability to lay eggs. In thanks for its life being saved, the rabbit took the eggs and decorated them and left them as gifts for Eostre.

This story is deemed fakelore by critics, who point out that it has never appeared in any historical account of pagan celebrations, nor in any attempt to reconstruct the same by folklorists such as Grimm. There is also no historical evidence linking Ostara to the hare or rabbit.

Answer 2

Cristi up there gave a fabulous answer.

I'd like to add another association: the goddess Eostre is associated with the moon, for which an egg can be a symbol. Some cultures, including Japan as a modern one, see a rabbit in the moon instead of a face, a rabbit making candies or something. Squint and you can see it.

So the rabbit on the moon is making little moon-eggs to deliver in honor of the fertility goddess. See? :-)

Answer 3

I agree with the first one. The "Pagans" use to celebrate the "fertility" of the land and humans in the spring and would have fests and parade types and they would display rabbits as a symbol of fertility. Eggs come from the birds most likely, but some people say it is because of "women parts" that produce babies.
When the Church was established as the "main religion" of Rome, the Emperor tried to incorporate the "Pagan" religions so no one would revolt.
That is why you have rabbits and eggs for "the rise of Christ", Santa and Christmas trees for "the Birth of Christ" and so forth and so on.

So next time you wonder why a holiday doesn't make sense, think of what the "pagans" use to practice around that time and see the similarities in the practices!!

Answer 4

He keeps the eggs from getting squashed by the sasquach. He picks em up.

Well a long time ago. Bunnys were used to determine pregnancy.

A women would take blood or urine and feed it to a bunny if the bunny died it meant she was pregnant.

Easter is the time of year of the conception of our savior. Therefore, the bunny was symbolic of conception being successful. The egg is symbolic of new life.

Answer 5

Easter derives its call from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, goddess of the daybreak or east. A month comparable to April were named "Eostremonat," or Eostre's month, maximum suitable to "Easter" starting to be utilized to the Christian trip that often happened interior of it. around the 2d century A.D., Christian missionaries attempting to transform the tribes of northern Europe observed that the Christian trip commemorating the resurrection of Jesus type of coincided with the Teutonic springtime celebrations, which emphasised the triumph of existence over demise. Christian Easter progressively absorbed the classic symbols. In Medieval Europe, eggs have been forbidden in the process Lent. Eggs laid in the process that factor have been frequently boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs have been subsequently a mainstay of Easter food, and a prized Easter present for babies and servants. to boot, eggs have been seen as symbols of latest existence and fertility in the process the a while. it rather is assumed that consequently many historical cultures, which contain the classic Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs in the process their spring gala's. Hares and rabbits have long been symbols of fertility. The inclusion of the hare into Easter customs looks to have originated in Germany, the place memories have been advised of an "Easter hare" who laid eggs for babies to discover. German immigrants to u . s . a . of america -- rather Pennsylvania -- delivered the custom with them and unfold it to a plenty wider public. in addition they baked cakes for Easter interior the form of hares, and might have pioneered the prepare of coming up chocolate bunnies and eggs. IM purely crammed with wisdom at present! xXx

Answer 6

Rabbit was conned by the Hen! Its just a childs tale anyways.

Answer 7

I keep telling everyone this. It's a crossbred chicken-rabbit. It lays preboiled eggs and bribes us with chocolate to take care of his young.

Answer 8

you still believe in the Easter rabbit??? It's a little kid's holiday!!

Answer 9

he takes them from the chickens and passes them out to boys and girls cause you don't want to see a big chicken walking around do you it would scare the kids a bunny is so cute.

Answer 10

hahaha good point! I guess it would be hard to manufacture live little chocolate bunnies...