Why do we have Easter symbols?

Easter symbols. How many of them do we know? Easter eggs, Easter bunny, fluffy chicks...

Everybody probably knows at least these most popular Easter symbols. However, as we found out today, in Spain people don’t eat chocolate over Easter. I think that everybody likes chocolate bunnies and coloring eggs, but do you actually know the origins of these symbols? Many of the Easter symbols and traditions are not found in the Bible, and they probably do not have any religious origin, but they have been known for centuries. According to history.com, the Easter bunny was introduced to America by German immigrants, the decoration of eggs might date back to at least the 13th century, and the Easter parade (I had not heard about it until recently) has even older roots.

Easter bunny 

There is no mention about any cute and fluffy creature with long ears who delivers chocolate eggs in the Bible, and yet the Easter bunny has become an important symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. The exact origins are not clear, but these mammals are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and brought their legend of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase”. In the past children used to build a small nest and hope that the bunny would lay the eggs there. Actual eggs have now been changed for  chocolate eggs and other types of candy, although children often leave out carrots for the bunny in case he gets hungry from all his hopping... 

Easter Eggs 

Even though Easter is a religious holiday, some customs, such as Easter eggs, are often likened to pagan traditions. The egg is an ancient symbol of new life, associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, it is a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus and his emergence from the tomb. The decoration or colouring of Easter eggs are traditions that date back to the 13th century and they have several explanations. One of the explanations is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lent season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration.

Easter Candy 

The chocolate eggs and their popularity date back to the early 19th century Europe and are popular in lots of countries all over the world. The largest Easter egg ever made was over 25 feet high and weighed over 8,000 pounds. It was built out of chocolate and marshmallow and supported by an internal steel frame.

These are the most popular symbols of Easter. Have you learnt anything new here? I had no idea that people thought eggs were laid by a hare! Are there any symbols or traditions that are typical in your country? Please leave a comment under our blog post...

Peartree Languages wishes you all a happy Easter and we hope you enjoy your holiday!

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About Peartree Languages

Peartree Languages is a language school located in Cardiff.