Easter Bunny

“Mom, why do we hide eggs at Easter? Isn’t is about celebrating Christ dying on the cross and then coming back? That’s what they teach in church,” Leslie asked.

Gloria looked at her little girl and smiled. Leslie had learned the true reason for Easter after all. “You know what sweetheart, mommy doesn’t really know where the eggs and the bunny came from, but give me until tomorrow and I will find out. Right now, it’s time for bed.”

“Okay Mom.” The little girl got on her knees, propped her elbows on her bed, clasped her hands together and closed her eyes before saying a small prayer. She got up and climbed into bed and closed her eyes. She smiled as her mother kissed her forehead and switched off the little bedside light. 

Gloria went into her room and turned on her computer. She read for hours trying to figure out how to explain to her small child about the origins of the Easter bunny and Easter eggs. 

“Mom, did you find out about the Easter bunny. Easter is Sunday and I want to be able to tell them in Sunday school.” She ate a banana as she stared at her mother.

Gloria laughed. “Oh! You just want to come off as a smarty pants. Is that the real reason you want to know?” she asked.

“No,” the little girl denied, shaking her head back and forth so hard her blonde braids swung.

“Well, do you remember learning about Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt?” She looked at the girl. “Well, people used to worship a lot of gods, not just the One. Before Christ was born, in a place we now call Germany they had a goddess of fertility. Now I don’t expect you to know what that is,” she started.

“It means they were able to have children, just like on the farm when the animals are fertile they get to have a baby and when the land is fertile it grows lots of crops. My best friend lives on a farm Mom,” Leslie informed her. 

“You sure pick up on things quick for a six-year old,” Gloria said. She continued when her daughter looked at her with impatience for the rest of the story. 

“Well, that goddess had a symbol. It was a rabbit, because they have so many babies. People used to celebrate the goddess with feasts on the first day of spring. Eggs also were of symbol of new life and they came up with a story about a bunny that laid eggs and hid them in the garden. You follow me so far?”

“Yep, the bunny and the eggs came before Easter. So somehow they got mashed together, huh?”

Gloria laughed. “That’s about the size of it. The children began coloring eggs at some point and then the Roman Catholics turned them into a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. The legend was published hundreds of years ago and made its way the United States through the Germans. Now, we celebrate Easter with the bunny and hiding colored eggs.”

Leslie smiled proudly. “Wait till I tell them about the Easter bunny and eggs in Sunday school!”