The Bunny Does What?! Easter Explained

This year Easter falls on Apr 17, and while it is a common holiday in the West, it’s not as well known here in China. Even within Western cultures, there is a lot of diversity in the way we celebrate. So here is your expat guide to Easter traditions.

What is this Easter thing all about?

Most people will tell you Easter is a Christian celebration and modern celebrations do have a religious connotation, however, it is far older than that. According to folkstory.com, the earliest Easter celebrations are tied to the Anglo Saxon goddess of dawn – Eostre. Her festival was celebrated on the vernal equinox which marks the start of spring. At its root, easter is just a spring festival.

What’s with the colored eggs?

Many cultures decorate eggs for the Easter holiday, but the oldest decorated eggshells were found in Persia and Mesopotamia according to Wikipedia. That’s because eggs were a symbol of rebirth and that practice was incorporated into the Christian tradition which quickly spread across Europe.

So why are we hiding them?

The Persians might have started the egg dying process but the Germans introduced the now popular egg hunt. The first documented Easter egg hunt was organized by none other than Martin Luther himself. However, they became world-famous when Queen Victoria hosted one on the grounds of Buckingham Palace in 1833 according to English-heritage.org.

Wait, I thought we rolled them?

This is an American tradition. According to History.com, Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to host an egg roll at the White House the Monday after Easter in 1878. It was a family event and had no religious affiliations whatsoever. The tradition stuck. To this day, the White House hosts a family eggroll the Monday after Easter.

And a bunny brings the eggs?

Well, that depends on where you live. In Germany and the US, yes, a bunny – another sign of fertility – brings the eggs. But French children believe they are dropped off by a flying bell from Rome while Australian kids expect a marsupial called a bilby to bring their eggs. Norwegians, on the other hand, prove to be the most logical, it’s the Easter chicken…obviously.

Ok, I get that but why make the bunny out of chocolate?

How else would he lay the chocolate eggs, Duh! In all seriousness, Cadbury made the chocolate Easter egg and its associated bunny famous in 1875, even though they had been around since the early 1800s in Germany and France. But not every country has the same signature sweet treat. In Portugal, sugar almonds are preferred while Italians serve ornate waffle cookies called pizzelle. Jelly beans are actually a holdover from the Great Depression when the more affordable candy briefly replaced expensive chocolate as the preferred Easter treat.

Where does the Easter basket come in?

So according to the queen of crafts, Martha Stewart, it circles back around to that Anglo Saxon equinox goddess Eostre, who was always portrayed carrying a basket filled with fruit, bread, and wine. During her festivals, people would leave out baskets to be filled with bounty! Over time children began to decorate the baskets hoping to entice the lady, turned bunny, turned bell, turned bilby into putting a little extra goodness inside their basket.

Feeling inspired after all that? If you want to get in on the basket decorating fun it could win your family Easter Brunch at the Universal Studios Grand Hotel! Simply follow the instructions below.

To win, scan the QR code below to join the WeChat group. If the QR code has expired, please add TBJButler on WeChat to request to join.
Ask your kid to make their own Easter basket. They can use any material and decorate it any way they like!
Then submit a photo of your kid(s) with their masterpiece by midnight, Mar 27.

For more information, click the link at the end of the article.