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Easter BunnyThe Easter Bunny is a symbolic rabbit or hare associated with Easter, especially in Western European cultures. Children are often told that Easter eggs are brought by the Easter bunny.
The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs. Today, the Easter Bunny, usually large and white, continues to bring Easter eggs and candy to children around the world on Easter Sunday. There are several possible reasons for the rabbit or hare, to be associated with Easter. The most obvious is their fertility. Easter comes during spring and celebrates new life. A general emphasis on new life may be symbolic for the Christian meaning of new life through Christ. The burrow probably helped the animal’s adoption as part of Easter celebrations, as the rabbit coming out of its underground home could be seen as a symbol for Jesus coming out of the tomb. Perhaps this was another case of taking a pre-existing symbol and giving it Christian meaning. Modern Easter rabbits are often stuffed toys or made of candy. Chocolate Easter Bunnies are also popular at Easter. But in Australia, where rabbits are an introduced pest, chocolate Bilbies are the latest Easter novelty. The Bilby is a cute little marsupial native to Australia, with long ears, rather like rabbit ears (it is also called the rabbit-eared bandicoot). It is an endangered species, and the Chocolate Bilbies are helping to fund conservation attempts to protect the Bilby from extinction. Plush Bunnies Cute Poseable Bunnies from Annalee
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