Does the easter bunny hide the eggs?

Why does the Easter Bunny hide eggs?

• I was coloring eggs with my little brother (who just turned 4) and yes, I know we were coloring them early but I am a dork and wanted to have fun. I decided to tell him how the Easter ...show more

• Answer:

  Easter Eggs In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, & a prized Easter gift for children & servants. In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life & fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, & Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals. Many traditions & practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is an established art, & eggs are often dyed, painted, & otherwise decorated. Eggs were also used in various holiday games: parents would hide eggs for children to find, & children would roll eggs down hills. These practices live on in Easter egg hunts & egg rolls. The most famous egg roll takes place on the White House lawn every year. Different Traditions Orthodox Christians in the Middle East & in Greece painted eggs bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Hollow eggs (created by piercing the shell with a needle & blowing out the contents) were decorated with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, & other religious figures in Armenia. Germans gave green eggs as gifts on Holy Thursday, & hung hollow eggs on trees. Austrians placed tiny plants around the egg & then boiled them. When the plants were removed, white patterns were created. Artistic Creations The most elaborate Easter egg traditions appear to have emerged in Eastern Europe. In Poland & Ukraine, eggs were often painted silver & gold. Pysanky (to design or write) eggs were created by carefully applying wax in patterns to an egg. The egg was then dyed, wax would be reapplied in spots to preserve that color, & the egg was boiled again in other shades. The result was a multi-color striped or patterned egg. The Easter Bunny Hares & rabbits have long been symbols of fertility. The inclusion of the hare into Easter customs appears to have originated in Germany, where tales were told of an "Easter hare" who laid eggs for children to find. German immigrants to America -- particularly Pennsylvania -- brought the tradition with them & spread it to a wider public. They also baked cakes for Easter in the shape of hares, & may have pioneered the practice of making chocolate bunnies & eggs.