Why bunnies and eggs related to the story of Easter?

The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time. Easter Egg predates the Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers. also a nice explanation at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg

1. EGGS a) Eggs were to be given up for Lent. http://www.thesacredheart.com/lent.htm b) That's why, in England, pancakes are made on Shrove Tuesday (to use eggs up). http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_pancakeday.shtml c) Because hens could not be stopped from laying, eggs were used creatively during Lent: (i) egg blowing http://www.20ishparents.com/holiday/blow.shtml http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/blowingout.shtml (ii) egg decorating, http://www.meddybemps.com/easter/eggdeco.html http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Easter/Eggs.html http://www.aeb.org/kidsandfamily/eastereggs/decoratingtips.asp (iii) egg-and-spoon races. http://familyfun.go.com/games/indoor-outdoor-games/game/famfgam_eggrace/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_3211000/3211835.stm d) At the end of Lent eggs could be eaten once more - hence the Easter egg. Some alternative egg activities persist on Easter Monday: (i) egg rolling (linked with rolling away the stone at Jesus' tomb) http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/monday.htm http://www.northernearth.co.uk/69/egg.htm (ii) egg hunts http://www.holidayinsights.com/easter/egghunt.htm http://www.scegghunt.com/photo_hunts02.htm 1. BUNNIES The hare and rabbit were celebrated as pre-Christian symbols of fertility in Spring. http://www.holidays.net/easter/bunny1.htm http://www.easter-traditions.com/html/the_easter_bunny.html http://plymouthlibrary.org/faqeasterbunny.htm

Vivet is the only one close so far! Rabbits and eggs were the symbols of the fertility goddess Eostre/Oestre/Ostara/Ishtar, whose festival it is. Some cultures see a rabbit (making sweets) in the moon instead of a face, so the eggs are also symbolic of the moon and they are linked that way. If you don't want to explain 'fertililty' to your kids, you can say 'new life' of which rabbits and eggs are both excellent symbols. If you're Christian, they're just another symbol of the new life your deity granted you on that day. We all celebrate the same thing, just with variations in the symbology ;-)

So, you need the children's version. Obviously they are both symbols of fertility from the druids but it is awkward to explain this. The rabbit is one of God's creatures who is associated with new life and the eggs are like gifts from God to help give us strength to make a new start in our life

Simple....fertility......eggs and bunnies symbolize reproduction... Therefore....eggs and bunnies= babies.....the whole natural theme of Spring.