Where Does The Easter Bunny Come From

​It's Easter, and what a magical, beautiful day it is in Noosa! A crisp morning welcomes me, and a few familiar faces accompany me on my run.

In Italy, the focus of Easter is on the resurrection of Jesus Christ; we don't have the tradition of the Easter Bunny. Personally, I thought this must be one of those commercial things from the US or Australia, and I was curious about its origin. Well, I did a bit of research, and it turns out I was wrong. The Easter Bunny tradition seems to be a blend of Christianity and ancient Germanic traditions.

From what I understand, pre-Christian Germanic traditions often revolved around the veneration of nature and the changing seasons. They had their own springtime festivals, which focused on themes of fertility and renewal. The hare, known for breeding... well like a rabbit!, was believed to lay eggs for children to find. This hare, known as the Osterhase, was considered a symbol of fertility and was associated with the goddess Eostre, who represented new life and the dawn.

When Christianity began to spread throughout Europe, it was common for Christian missionaries to incorporate existing pagan customs as a way to ease the transition for converts. As German immigrants settled in various parts of the world, they brought their Osterhase traditions with them, and over time, it evolved into the Easter Bunny, which now delivers chocolate eggs instead.

So there you have it - a bit of curiosity on my run led me to learn something new. It may come in handy at a trivia night, who knows!