Question:
Where does the Easter Bunny come from? Why do we paint eggs, or even eat boiled eggs at Easter? Any other Easter originations trivia would be interesting too!
I suspect it might be a symbolic pagan fertility throwback related to Spring rites. What's your opinion?
hi sue,
that is a very good ?. i have no idea. maybe some one does.
have a good night all
richard
I have a great book called "How did it Begin?" This and several sources I have consulted to explain holiday rituals Say rabbit or bunny is a inclusion fron the pagan goddess Eostre who appeared as a hare as well as human- she was a fertility goddess. The egg is a symbol of new life, it was also not permitted (in some cultures) to eat eggs during the season leading up to Easter and it was a time to celebrate their return to meals-In some countries the eggs is a cherished gift and is often dyed or decorated to add to the gift. There is also a legend that the man who was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the cross for Christ (Simon of Cyrene) was carring in from the country his produce to sell in the city; among these things were eggs, and after carrying the cross to Golgotha and wondering about the man called Jesus he returned to find his eggs had been transformed and were brightly colored- Simon then became a believer and followed Jesus' teachings. We use this story when we have an Easter egg hunt for the Sunday School children.
Carol,
I read the same thing on my cousin's genealogy web site. He puts a special page for every holiday!
Carol, thanks, your information is very interesting. I never heard that before about the goddess in the form of a rabbit. That's so interesting. I used to teach CCD classes to junior high aged kids and that would have been an interesting tidbit to tell them.
I always thought it was from that part of the bible where they didn't have enough food for the masses, so someone brought an egg to Jesus and the eggs multiplied. And everyone came to eat the eggs, but they wern't that excited because the eggs wern't as good as fish and bread, and this was like the third time already, so it wasn't that exciting. So Jesus got annoyed an summoned a swarm of rabbits to hide the eggs among the country side because the Lord only helps those who help themselves. He also had the eggs painted to blend in with the colorful flowers because otherwise it would be too easy and not be a good lesson for the people. So to this day we celebrate this by having kids search for the eggs therefore learning that you don't get eggs by just standing around with a basket and looking like a doofus. Thats my theory anyways.
Happy Easter!
screamatorium,
Did you just make that up? :D I have been around a long time and have read the Bible and have never heard that! :)
Oh, I'm sure it's part of the apocrypha or something... honest. ;)
Scream, as I read your bit I had this strange sensation as if something or someone were tugging on my leg.
It was amusing though:)
Yep, he was pulling our leg.
I wasn't thinking much but, the apocrypha was written between the times of the Old and New Testaments. Easter celebrates for the Risen Christ, so if they had some kind of egg ritual in the books of the apocrypha, it would have been for some other reason.
I think the egg thing is just a tradition-like Santa- that people enjoyed and it stuck! We probably won't know for sure.
I suspect it might be a symbolic pagan fertility throwback related to Spring rites. What's your opinion?
Answers:
hi sue,
that is a very good ?. i have no idea. maybe some one does.
have a good night all
richard
Answers:
I have a great book called "How did it Begin?" This and several sources I have consulted to explain holiday rituals Say rabbit or bunny is a inclusion fron the pagan goddess Eostre who appeared as a hare as well as human- she was a fertility goddess. The egg is a symbol of new life, it was also not permitted (in some cultures) to eat eggs during the season leading up to Easter and it was a time to celebrate their return to meals-In some countries the eggs is a cherished gift and is often dyed or decorated to add to the gift. There is also a legend that the man who was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the cross for Christ (Simon of Cyrene) was carring in from the country his produce to sell in the city; among these things were eggs, and after carrying the cross to Golgotha and wondering about the man called Jesus he returned to find his eggs had been transformed and were brightly colored- Simon then became a believer and followed Jesus' teachings. We use this story when we have an Easter egg hunt for the Sunday School children.
Answers:
Carol,
I read the same thing on my cousin's genealogy web site. He puts a special page for every holiday!
Answers:
Carol, thanks, your information is very interesting. I never heard that before about the goddess in the form of a rabbit. That's so interesting. I used to teach CCD classes to junior high aged kids and that would have been an interesting tidbit to tell them.
Answers:
I always thought it was from that part of the bible where they didn't have enough food for the masses, so someone brought an egg to Jesus and the eggs multiplied. And everyone came to eat the eggs, but they wern't that excited because the eggs wern't as good as fish and bread, and this was like the third time already, so it wasn't that exciting. So Jesus got annoyed an summoned a swarm of rabbits to hide the eggs among the country side because the Lord only helps those who help themselves. He also had the eggs painted to blend in with the colorful flowers because otherwise it would be too easy and not be a good lesson for the people. So to this day we celebrate this by having kids search for the eggs therefore learning that you don't get eggs by just standing around with a basket and looking like a doofus. Thats my theory anyways.
Happy Easter!
Answers:
screamatorium,
Did you just make that up? :D I have been around a long time and have read the Bible and have never heard that! :)
Answers:
Oh, I'm sure it's part of the apocrypha or something... honest. ;)
Answers:
Scream, as I read your bit I had this strange sensation as if something or someone were tugging on my leg.
It was amusing though:)
Answers:
Yep, he was pulling our leg.
I wasn't thinking much but, the apocrypha was written between the times of the Old and New Testaments. Easter celebrates for the Risen Christ, so if they had some kind of egg ritual in the books of the apocrypha, it would have been for some other reason.
I think the egg thing is just a tradition-like Santa- that people enjoyed and it stuck! We probably won't know for sure.
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