How did the celebration of Jesus Christ being resurrected turn into an event filled with chocolate eggs and the Easter Bunny? We take a deep look at the origins behind the annual celebration to find out
Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ by munching on chocolate eggs may seem a little odd – but it actually stems from a medieval tradition.
The Bible claims that the son of God was crucified on a cross on what we now call Good Friday, but then came back to life on Easter Sunday. The annual event, which falls between 21 March and 25 April, is celebrated by Christians around the globe and is believed to have started in the second century.
It is worth pointing out that tales of resurrection around spring have long pre-dated Christianity – such as goddess Inanna who entered the underworld to find her deceased husband and was killed but then brought back to life. Legend dictates she was allowed to return to the normal world as the sun for six months and then had to back to the underworld during the winter for a further six months. Other stories of resurrection and spring symbolism include the Egyptian god Horus and the Greek God Dionysus.
But, how did any of this result in our now beloved chocolate eggs, and how on earth did the Easter Bunny come into the equation?
Why do we eat chocolate eggs at Easter?
Many non-religious Brits still celebrate Easter, using the bank holidays and school breaks as a way of gathering with family and friends. There is also an argument that Easter has become somewhat commercialised, as confectionary companies rake in millions of pounds by flogging sweet treats.
However, the tradition isn’t completely a capitalist-born idea and actually stems from the medieval period, where eating eggs during Lent was forbidden. According to English Heritage, eggs (chicken, not chocolate) were given to the church as a Good Friday offering, and villagers often gifted the then-expensive food to the lord of the manor.
Many of these gifted eggs were painted in intricate designs and dyed vibrant colours. They were also attached to several myths like double yolks symbolising future wealth. Others believed eating eggs during the Easter period would also ‘improve fertility and prevent sudden death’.
This tradition slowly loosened into the launch of chocolate eggs, spearheaded by Fry’s back in 1873. Cadbury soon followed suit, debuting their hollowed chocolate egg just two years later. Now, the UK buys around 80 million Easter eggs each year.
Where did the Easter Bunny come from?
Just like Santa Claus and Christmas, the Easter Bunny does not directly link with the Christian roots of Easter. But there is much confusion around the origins of the mythical creature, which is actually a hare – not a rabbit.
Many historians believe the Easter Hare came from Germany and is cited in a 1572 text that reads: “Don’t worry if the Easter Bunny escapes you. Should we miss his eggs, we will cook the nest.” Embed in folklore, this animal is believed to have entered Pennsylvania Dutch communities in the US around 1757 and is used as the front covers of magazines during Easter from 1899.
The Scientific American states the hare has long been associated with Mary for centuries. “Their association with virgin birth comes from the fact that hares – often conflated mistakenly with rabbits – are able to produce a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first,” the publication states.
From here, the Easter Bunny has been enmeshed with Easter celebrations, often in the form of cupcakes and other sweet treats, like the iconic Lindt Bunny. The concept the myth comes from the Pagan religion has been debunked time and time again but still circulates on social media every year.
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