Why do Easter bunnies bring eggs

Washington, Apr 9 (ANI): Researchers have shed light on why is the tradition of Easter Bunny so ingrained in Easter Sunday and how is it tied with the resurrection of Jesus.

Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening hats all stem from pagan roots. These tropes were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honouring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, Discovery News reported.

There is no information on a long-eared, cotton-tailed Easter Bunny in the Bible nor is there any mention about young children painting eggs or searching for baskets brimming with delectable Easter goodies.

And as it is, real rabbits are mammals so they definitely do not lay eggs.

According to the University of Florida's Center for Children's Literature and Culture, the origin of the celebration and the origin of the Easter Bunny can be traced back to 13th-century, pre-Christian Germany, when people worshiped a number of gods and goddesses.

The Teutonic deity Eostra was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were organised in her honour on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal's high reproduction rate.

Spring also denoted new life and rebirth; eggs were an ancient symbol of fertility.

According to History.com, Easter eggs signify Jesus' resurrection. However, this association came much later when Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in Germany in the 15th century and amalgamated with already ingrained pagan beliefs.

The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country, according to the Center for Children's Literature and Culture.

The custom of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon followed. Ultimately, nests became decorated baskets and colourful eggs were swapped for candy, treats and other small gifts. (ANI)