Allow us to clear this up: No, bunnies do not lay eggs. As placental mammals, rabbits develop embryos inside a uterus and, after a pregnancy lasting about 31 to 33 days, give birth to a litter of often 12 or more bunnies.
“You are 100 percent correct. Rabbits do not lay eggs. The Easter Bunny gets his eggs from chickens, just like we do.”
According to folklore, the Easter hare would lay colorful eggs in the nests (baskets) of well behaved children. German immigrants brought this tradition of the Easter Bunny to the United States in the 18th century.
The story of the Easter Bunny is thought to have become common in the 19th Century. Rabbits usually give birth to a big litter of babies (called kittens), so they became a symbol of new life. Legend has it that the Easter Bunny lays, decorates and hides eggs as they are also a symbol of new life.
An Easter tradition involves the Easter Bunny dropping off a gift basket of candy for good children overnight. Children leave a basket out overnight which the Easter bunny fills with candy, toys, and gifts on the night before Easter, and children wake up to find their Easter basket.
Many kids believe whole-heartedly for several years. Then, when they reach age 7 or 8, they begin to have some doubts. Between their own intellectual development and the chance that another child tells them, kids usually piece it all together on their own when they are 8 to 10 years old.
The Easter Bunny is female: How our Easter traditions began.
After all, bunnies often deliver the eggs. Also, let's not forget the Cadbury bunny, who represents the popular chocolate, egg-shaped candy. Rabbits are placental mammals and they give birth to a litter of 12 or more bunnies.
And what do they have to do with the resurrection of Jesus? Well, nothing. Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening hats all stem from pagan roots. They were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honoring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
“Ask your child if she thinks the Easter Bunny is real,” she says. “If she says yes, let her be until she discovers the truth herself. “If she says no, use it as a starting point to chat about logic.” Tell your child even though the Easter Bunny doesn't exist, creativity and imagination are important.
According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs.
He doesn't speak
Unlike his wintertime counterpart Santa who offers us an emphatic “Ho ho ho,” the Easter Bunny is silent. Or at least he should be—he's a bunny! But there is something so eerie about that furry, non-verbal, perpetually smiling creature.
The Easter bunny arrives over Easter weekend, either on Easter Sunday morning itself, or similarly to Santa, the bunny hides eggs overnight, doing so on Easter Saturday in time for when the children wake up on Easter morning. Where did the tradition of Easter eggs come from?
The Easter bunny does not exist. He is just a myth that parents tell their children to get them excited about the holiday.
The Easter Bunny is a rabbit that delivers presents and eggs to children on Easter. The tradition goes back a very long way just like the ones about Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. His real name is Peter Cottontail just like how Santa's real name is either Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle.
As part of the legend, the creature carries colored eggs in its basket, as well as candy, and sometimes toys, to the homes of children. As such, the Easter Bunny again shows similarities to Santa (or the Christkind) and Christmas by bringing gifts to children on the night before a holiday.
Why Is Easter Called 'Easter'? St. Bede the Venerable, the 6 century author of Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (“Ecclesiastical History of the English People”), maintains that the English word "Easter" comes from Eostre, or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility.
Why do we hide eggs at Easter? In many pre-Christian societies eggs held associations with spring and new life. Early Christians adapted these beliefs, making the egg a symbol of the resurrection and the empty shell a metaphor for Jesus' tomb.
Easter is one of the principal holidays, or feasts, of Christianity. It marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion.
But contrary to what this spring-time holiday may lead you to believe, bunnies don't lay eggs. And they certainly have nothing to do with the production of chocolate eggs. And while many of us are used to -- even love -- the idea that rabbits and eggs come together to bring us sweet treats, in nature, they just don't.
It actually has nothing to do with the biblical Easter (obviously). It dates back to 13th Century Germany where they worshiped gods and goddesses including the goddess Eostra, who was the goddess of fertility. Since rabbits are very fertile and eggs represent fertility, that's how the bunnies and eggs came into play.
Why are Chocolate Bunnies hollow? One major reason Chocolate Bunnies are made hollow is that once a piece of chocolate is over about ½ inch thick it becomes nearly impossible to bite into and enjoy. Making bunnies hollow allows chocolatiers to make them larger for visual impact but still enjoyable to eat.
There's even an Easter FAQ page, where you can find out more about everyone's favorite holiday figure. It includes lots of interesting info about the Easter Bunny's marital state (yep, he's got a wife); his favorite food (carrots, naturally); and even how tall he is (between 3 and 6 feet). There you have it, folks.
Is the Easter Bunny married? Does he have kids? Lie #3; Yes, he is married ... to a very understanding bunny named Betty. They have 7 sons and 13 daughters.
Today, the Easter Bunny is usually depicted as a white rabbit with long ears, often wearing colorful human clothes.