What's Up with the Easter Bunny?

As a kid growing up, it was never any problem for me to believe that the Easter Bunny was supposed to come at Easter, or for that matter, Santa Claus was supposed to come at Christmas. Moreover, as a somewhat normal child, I never questioned how or why the Easter Bunny played into a religious holiday. However, again, as a somewhat normal child, I refused to rock the boat. Or rather, should I say, rock the candy basket. Before the internet came into the picture, I was way too lazy to make any investigations on my own. Now as both a freelance writer and internet user, it took me just a matter of minutes to discover the answers of how the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs fit into the big picture of Easter. I also discovered why Easter is never the same time each year.

How the Date for Easter Is Determined

First, the phase of the moon is what determines the traditional Jewish calendar. Therefore, when the Christians were trying to decide which day to set for Easter, they referred back to the traditional Jewish calendar to determine this.

Easter will fall on the first Sunday after the full moon after the date of March 21st. March 21st is the vernal equinox, or simply put, it is the day that daylight and darkness are equal as the days start getting longer. If the full moon happens to appear on a Sunday, then Easter will be the following Sunday.

How the Easter Bunny Fits

As research goes, there is no religious reason why the rabbit came at Easter. Symbolically, the rabbit is a powerful symbol of fertility and new life. Thus, Easter was an excellent opportunity to bring in the symbolism of the rabbit. And of course, the Easter Bunny, like Santa Claus, is a favorite among the children.

History of Easter Eggs

The ancient Egyptians used to decorate Easter eggs and give them to others, as a means of showing friendship. In Mesopotamia, Christians exchanged decorated eggs, as a remembrance of the resurrection of Christ.