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It's Easter
07 Apr, 2004
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"why easter bunny and egg!?"
The Easter Bunny and Egg are two very popular symbols which are associated with the celebration of Easter.
Have you ever wondered how these symbols got associated with this holiday?
According to tradition the Easter Bunny makes his visit every year, scattering brightly-colored eggs and candy as he goes. The origins of the Easter Bunny aren't exactly clear; the first recorded references to him are generally agreed to have come from Germany in the 1500s. In ancient times the rabbit was the symbol of fertility, equated with springtime and the renewal of life. Also the hare was associated with the moon, whose cycles determine the precise date of Easter each year. Over time these traditions presumably merged with the celebration of Easter itself, and now the bunny is associated with Easter in much the same way Santa Clause is with Christmas.
Of all the symbols associated with Easter, the egg, which is the symbol of fertility and new life, is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries.
Originally Easter eggs were painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring and were used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts. In some customs, after they were colored and etched with various designs the eggs were exchanged by lovers and romantic admirers, much the same as Valentines.
In medieval times, eggs were traditionally given at Easter to servants and in Germany, eggs were given to children along with other Easter gifts.
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