Easter Bunny Brings Cheer To Children

Since the Scotch-Irish and English Quakers did not celebrate Easter, it was the German settlers who brought many of our earliest traditions. They celebrated the arrival of Oschter Haws (Easter bunny), they colored eggs, they had Easter baskets, they made Easter candy and chocolates, and the Christian-Germans observed the Easter holiday with a mass and feasting.

It is a bit of a mystery how the bunny rabbit became such a stalwart symbol of Easter traditions, but like Santa Claus, young children loved the magic associated with the fable and enjoyed the gift giving tradition.

Historian Francis Weiser wrote about the bunny's origin, saying: "The Easter bunny had its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore and never had religious symbolism bestowed on its festive usage. However, the bunny has acquired a cherished role in the celebration of Easter as the legendary producer of Easter eggs for children in many countries."

Today, children hunt for colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs, which are made of plastic or chocolate candy. In some places, there is actually a war against the Easter bunny. For instance, in 2006, the affable bunny was banned from the St. Paul, Minnesota City Hall for fear of offending Christians.

Christian parents are often torn between keeping the holiday all about Christ and appeasing their children who can't understand why Peter Cottontail and Santa Claus skip their house every year. Some families try to blend the two traditions together, while others try to plan more Jesus-centered activities and give religious-themed gifts instead.

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