i know christmas and easter are originally christian holidays, but how /when/why did santa take over xmas? how /when/why did the easter bunny take over easter?
i can kind of understand santa...be good, family, sharing gifts.....birth of jesus...i can KINDA see a connection there....
but easter is like...HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?? what does jesus coming back to life have to do with ANYTHING to do with the easter bunny and painted eggs????
did these loved holiday characters come into our lives through media?
btw...please dont give me an answer with bible passages and saying stuff like "because the devil tricks us". supernatural answers arent going to tell me ANYTHING! i just want to know the history behind santa and the easter bunny.
thnx!!
2006-11-14 08:07:51 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
im not christian. but i did grow up in a christian family and was christian. this is just something i wondered because the easter bunny is just SOO RANDOM to me. i just kept thinking "HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!"
2006-11-14 08:19:14 · update #1
Easter and the easter bunny have some pagan elements despite being a Christian holiday. Easter is named after a pagan goddess named Eostre(sp?). In myth she was a fertility goddess, and two of her symbols were eggs(as a source of life) and the rabbit(a prolific breeder). When Christians were converting pagans, often times pagan holidays or traditions would be added to Christian holidays to help with the conversion. Eventually the symbols turned into todays holiday icons.
Santa Claus comes from a Dutch story about St. Nick, who was a Bishop that used his money to help the poor, hungry and needy. This story led to the myth of Sinterklaaus, which eventually turned into Santa Claus.
2006-11-14 08:20:28 · answer #1 · answered by Carly L 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Easter actually originated as the spring fertility celebration call Eostre, the goddess for whom the holiday is named. Her symbols were the rabbit - a symbol of reproduction - and the egg, a symbol of new life.
The egg is also a symbol of the moon, with which the goddess is associated. Ancient cultures, like some today, saw a rabbit in the moon instead of a face. This reinforces the connection.
People used to color eggs and give them to each other as gifts wishing good fortune and new life.
2006-11-14 08:39:43 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Originally Easter and Christmas were PAGAN holiday not Christian ones. Easter being the spring fertility rite....hence the hare (rabbit) and the egg. Both signs of fertility. Christmas WAS the celebration of the Winter Solstice.
Both holidays as well as Halloween (Samhain) were supplanted with Christian Holy days in an effort to convert Pagans and non-Christians to Christianity.
2006-11-14 08:23:32 · answer #3 · answered by PaganPoetess 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus = Christian version (real version) of holidays
Santa+Easter Bunny = commercial version (so stores can sell lots and lots and lots of candy and gifts and make money)
Santa came from a real person who used to go around in a country in Europe and hand out gifts to kids (there are many variations to this story, I think, from different cultures, you can look up the history of Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas to read about it).
Easter bunny... I have no idea about that one... but try wikipedia.org and type in Easter and read about it there.
2006-11-14 08:11:18 · answer #4 · answered by Alice 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the two celebrations have become no longer something extra suitable than a mockery and commercial employer for society, a minimum of in the NA marketplace. Easter grew to become into an unique pagan party for the onset of Spring and the Godess Ashtar / Eostar, that which represents rebirth or Spring. in case you hint historic previous records, it occurs to coincide with the time of Christ's dying yet this is all. As for Christmas, Christ grew to become into born around the top of what we'd call summer season or early autumn and not in December. Even in the midsection east, shepherds are actually not watching their flocks via night in December. They close save via what we call October on the main contemporary. the two significant holidays line up completely with historic Pagan celebrations for the God of wintry climate Solstice and the Godess of Spring. the two maximum extreme impacts of the Pagan lifestyle. in case you won't be able to conquer 'em, connect 'em. that's what the "Christians" have been up against on the time and so as that's what they compromised to. overlook the myths. Do the examine. And settle for that Christianity is in simple terms as corrupt as the different faith obtainable. it particularly is all politics. continuously has been, continuously would be.
2016-10-22 02:21:04 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
um first of all they're not originally christian holidays.
read up on this more before making assumptions.
sorry.
i'm tired of the twisted historical accounts that christians impose
thanks.
2006-11-14 08:16:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋