How Did Rabbits Become Associated With Easter?

Question: How Did Rabbits Become Associated With Easter?

Answer: There are several variations of the story of the origins of the Easter Rabbit or the Easter Bunny, or perhaps more correctly, the Easter Hare. The hare was was associated with the Pagan celebration of the goddess Eostre, from whom the word Easter is derived. Eostre was associated with fertility, so was connected to both hares and eggs as symbols. The hare is also symbolically associated with the moon and therefore may have indirectly become associated with Easter since the date of Easter is determined by the phases of the moon (the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring Equinox, March 21). An article from the About.com's Paganism / Wicca site gives more details of the Pagan origins of both the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs.

The appearance of a rabbit as a creature that lays brightly colored eggs as gifts for children is documented in Germany in the 1500s, where kids eagerly awaited the arrival of the Oschter Haws. The tradition seems to have been brought to America in the 1700s by settlers, where the Easter Bunny became firmly established as a popular symbol of Easter. Germans are also credited with creating the first edible rabbits (pastry-based) in the 1800s.

Please note: unfortunately, rabbits are often impulsively acquired as pets at Easter time. Many of these bunnies end up neglected or given up for adoption since those cute little bunnies grow up into pets that lots of attention and care. Rabbits can be wonderful companions, but they can also be destructive if deprived of attention and appropriate toys, and should be spayed or neutered. In addition, rabbits are not ideal pets for children, partly because rabbits often do not like to be held or cuddled on our terms. See Live Bunnies at Easter for more on choosing a rabbit.

For more information on pet rabbits, see our Rabbit Care Guide or sign up for Rabbits 101 (a free email course about rabbit care).

If you are sure a rabbit is right for you, please consider adopting from a shelter. Try you local shelter, check for a local chapter of the House Rabbit Society, or visit Petfinder.com and do a search for adoptable bunnies in your area.

And finally, if you are not absolutely sure a rabbit is right for you, it's best to stick to chocolate bunnies this Easter!