As Christians recover from gorging on whatever it is they denied themselves during Lent, I find myself struggling to explain the meaning behind the popular icons of Easter: the Easter bunny and the Easter egg.
Over the weekend, I was asked by a child why a bunny brings us eggs to celebrate Jesus coming back to life. I thought for a moment, and then decided, ‘No, I am not going to make up an answer’. There was no way I could have convinced the child that I was telling the truth.
So, how did it come to be that a rabbit steals unhatched eggs from unsuspecting chickens to deliver them (rather surreptitiously) to human children, often hiding those eggs in baskets? And how did it develop that the humans would dye and decorate the eggs?
eggs and rabbits (especially in spring) symbolize new life – that found through the Resurrection.
The dying may have been just for interest – note the customs of egg decor found in eastern European countries.
I hope you enjoyed the hunt, and the goodies.
@ mom –
Hmmm … eggs symbolising new life. I suppose that’s conceivable. Unless one considers that we then boil the symbol of life, shell it and eat it.
You’re probably right on the egg decoration.
Still not convinced about the connection with the bunnies though …
Interestingly enough, I stumbled across the following page earlier this morning:
http://thebeattitude.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/the-pagan-origin-of-easter-something-all-christians-should-know/
I’ve no idea if the content on that page is accurate, but it makes for interesting reading.