Easter is approaching, and many of us can hardly wait! This year, it falls on Sunday, April 9and it is a time of grand celebration for the resurrection of Jesus and the arrival of the Easter Bunny! Many of us know why we celebrate for a religious reason; we have fasted, prayed, and sacrificed for 40 days in preparation for the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Hopefully, your Lenten journey was fulfilling, and you learned something about yourself! However, many people do not know the origin of the Easter Bunny and his eggs.

The exact source of the bunny is somewhat of a mystery, but many theories and stories from different cultures may have come together to create the rabbit as we know him today. One idea is that the symbol of a rabbit comes from pagan tradition, specifically the festival of Eostre -a, goddess of fertility whose symbol was a bunny. The egg aspect of Easter also comes with the idea of fertility, as they represent new life.

It is even believed that decorating eggs for Easter dates back to the 13th century. It is thought that hundreds of years ago, Christians abstained from eating eggs during Lent and consumed them once again on Easter. So how did the Easter Bunny become the one to deliver eggs to America? Supposedly, this is a tradition that arrived with German immigrants to America. Upon arriving in what is now Pennsylvania, the Germans brought the tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.”

Children would create giant, comfortable nests for the creature to lay its colorful eggs in at night. They would even leave out carrots for the bunny if he got tired from all the hopping. As this custom spread across the United States, it slowly morphed into the Easter holiday as we see it today –decorated baskets (replacing nests) filled with chocolate, candies, and other goodies.

Here at NDCL, we partied “Bunny Style.” So enjoy our gallery below ahead of this holy weekend!

Gallery • 26 Photos

From everyone at THE MANE, have a happy EASTER and a safe SPRING BREAK!