Post #302195 by Tipua on Fri, Apr 27, 2007 2:58 AM

Hey all! Just thought I'd help to clear the confusion!

I've read that the Easter Bunny stems from a pre-christian Anglo-Saxon goddess named Eostre (Ostara according to continental Germans), the goddess of springtime. Her totem animal was the rabbit, hence the Easter Bunny (the rabbit was also seen in the moon, like we see a "man in the moon" these days - the moon has a seasonal significance, as shown below).

From Wikipedia:

According to Bede (c. 672 - 735), writing in De temporum ratione ("On the Reckoning of Time"), Ch. xv, "The English months", the word "Easter" is derived from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, to whom Eostur-monath, corresponding to our month of April (Latin: Aprilis), was dedicated:
"Eostur-monath has a name which is now translated Paschal month, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance."

"Eostur-monath has a name which is now translated Paschal month, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance."

So there you have it! Not a christian holiday at all, originally!