The
generous Easter bunnies have, over the times, become the most favorite
Easter icon. Bunny is associated with Easter historically because of its
global and secular appeal. It is a symbolic rabbit, which owes its
origin to the pre-Christian goddess, Eostre, the mythological goddess of
spring and fertility.However, one fact needs special mention here. There has been a lot of discussion regarding as to what the bunny represents- hare or rabbit. Perhaps it is hare and not the rabbit, which should be treated as the true symbol of Easter. Going by the history, we find that since ancient times it is the hare that has been a symbol for the moon and not the rabbit. There is a very interesting legend about the hare- that it never closes its eyes, not even for a single blink! In ancient Egypt, people related hares to the moon. In 1500s, Germans invented edible Easter bunnies from pastry and sugar and was known there as 'Oserhase' or 'Oschter Haws'.
In America it is the rabbit which is more familiar as Easter icon as against the traditional hare. The credit of making rabbits so popular and the most famous Easter icon among the non-German kids in America goes to the German immigrants. The German kids used to make rabbit's nests which were filled with adorned eggs. These rabbit nests looked so attractive that even the non-German kids asked for such beautiful gifts on the occasion of Easter.