Uncover The Easter Bunny’s Surprising Origins and Traditions

Easter is this Sunday and for those of you with younger kids, the egg hunts and pictures with the bunny may have already begun. So where did the Easter bunny and egg hunts originate from?

Where Did The Easter Bunny Come From

The Easter bunny appears to be from German decent. Brought to America by immigrants in the 1700’s, the Easter bunny or "Eostre" or "Eostre Haws," translates to Easter hare. Eostre was believed to lay colorful eggs for children to find.

Over time the tradition went from a hare that laid eggs to a bunny that left baskets full of treats for kids like candy filled eggs, trinkets and small toys.

Easter Baskets

When my kids were little, my favorite part of Easter was hiding their baskets and giving them each scavenger hunt notes to find their treasure. We would hide over 300 Easter eggs in our backyard for the 7 cousins to find.

Easter Egg Hunt

We have had egg hunts when it's nearly 70 out and we have hunted in the 30's with snow on the ground. Regardless of the weather, an egg hunt is a tradition none of them have outgrown.

They are all over 18 now but those who are in town for Easter, still hunt for eggs as adults. I asked my daughter, Tara recently if we were still having an egg hunt this year and her answer was a resounding “yes!”

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As long as the “kids” are willing, myself along with my brother-in-laws will load up our grocery bags and hide the eggs out back. The older I get, the less I remember where I hid them and I will "find" one or two with the riding lawnmower over the summer and throughout the yard.

Real Reason For Easter

As much fun as our family had with Easter eggs and scavenger hunts, we take the time to celebrate Resurrection Sunday. We get a gift far greater than a Reese’s peanut butter egg in Jesus’s resurrection.

However you celebrate and wherever you are celebrating it at, I hope you'll have a chance to remember the real reason for the season. One of my favorite song goes, "Friday's disappointment is Sunday's empty tomb" is also a fantastic Easter song.