History of the Easter Bunny and Gifts
Do You Know About the Easter Bunny?
The history of the Easter bunny and the symbol that it represents originated back in pre-Christian fertility folklore, as being the most fertile of animals. The hare and rabbit served as symbols of new life. This originated with the pagan festival of Eostre (also known as Eastre). Anglo-Saxons worshiped the goddess, Eastre through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The spring season brings new life with the rabbit as the fertility symbol.
This Rabbit Has Goodies for You
The First Writings of the Easter Bunny
Germany to America
The Easter Bunny was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500’s.
The Germans brought this symbol to America who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 18th century. The first edible bunnies were made in Germany, in the 1800’s. They were not made of chocolate, but of pastry and sugar.
In early German tradition, children would use colorful hats and bonnets to make a nest for the Easter Bunny. These nests were placed in a secluded place within the house or barn. According to folklore, German settlers believed a white rabbit would place colorful eggs in these nest for the good children. These eggs were colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers.
Vintage Easter Bunny Postcards
Early 1900 rabbits on holiday postcards.
Rabbit and Bunny Postcards
Zazzle Cards
Vintage Loving Easter Greeting PostcardVintage Easter Girl Feeding Rabbit Postcard
Vintage Easter Bunnies Textured Postcard
Vintage Easter Rabbit and Family Postcard
Vintage Easter Bunny Artist Postcard
Vintage Easter Rabbits with Eggs Postcard
Vintage Easter White Rabbits and Chick Postcard
Vintage Easter Rabbits Postcard
Vintage Easter Girl in Bunny Costume Postcard
Easter Vintage Bunnies and Colored Eggs Postcard
Easter Vintage Bunnies and Colored Eggs Postcard
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Modern Easter Bunny Postcards
Funny Dog Rabbit to Chocolate Rabbits
Fun Postcards and More
Postcards are my best selling products on Zazzle. As a buyer of these cards, I can say that the color of the images and paper are the highest quality.
An Easter Bunny? PostcardWild Colorful Rabbit Pattern Postcard
Chocolate Easter Bunnies Postcard
Easter Bunny with Eggs Postcard
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Find all Easter gifts under the two categories for modern and vintage at Sandyspider Gifts on Zazzle
Some wonderful and unique gifts besides the cards and matching stamps with the Easter celebration are t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, pin-back buttons, refrigerator magnets, hats, key chains, posters, postcards, shoes, stickers, and neckties.
Other product lines located in Sandyspider Gifts on Zazzle with bunnies are: Rabbit Pendant Necklaces and Holiday iPad and iPHone Case Covers.
The Easter Bunny is a White Talking Rabbit
Mother Does Not Lie
Rubie’s Costume Super Deluxe Plush Rabbit Costume
As a child, the night before Easter, I remember having an empty basket out on the table. Waking up the next morning to find the basket was full of candy. Sometimes it would be a basket the Easter Bunny picked up at the store and delivered it in the middle o the night when I was asleep. This bunny was and is magical. Amazing how one rabbit can deliver candy and goodies all over the world in one night!
Going with the parents’ rule, I was not allowed to stay up late the night before Easter morning Before I went to bed, I would lay out a plate with a big orange carrot and lettuce for the Easter Bunny to munch on. Even the large human adult size rabbits love their vegetables.
Unlike Santa Claus, who would come down the chimney, my parents had told me that the Easter Bunny would come through the front door. One of my parents would stay up and let him in.
Pretty sure it was my mother.
Many of the drawings of this magical bunny have been shown in colors of a white and sometimes a brown rabbit. Though when I asked my mother what he looked like, she told me that the Easter Bunny had white fur and stood six feet tall. This bunny can also talk. He asked my mother if I had been a good girl. If I was bad, I suppose there would not be any candy in my Easter Basket.
Harvey (1950) Classic Movie on DVD
Hopping Good Film
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Harvey is a classic movie staring Jimmy Steward as Elwood P. Dowd, a mild-mannered, pleasant man, who just happens (he says) to have an invisible friend resembling a 6-foot rabbit.
This also proves that the Easter Bunny is a 6-foot rabbit, just like my mother told me. Steward has always portrayed an honest character in the movies which I have seen him in. As a young girl, I believed my mother to be the same way.
Easter Bunny Coffee Gift Baskets
Found on 3DRose and Amazon
These Easter coffee gift baskets are wonderful gift ideas for anyone on your list.
This Easter, give the one you love or long distance friend a unique gourmet coffee gift basket. Complete with a 15 oz mug with a set of 4 coasters, biscotti and 5 blends of gourmet coffee. French Vanilla, Kenya AA, Decaf Colombian Supremo, Chocolate and Italian Roast Espresso elegantly presented in our signature black planet coffee gift box.
More coffee gift baskets are found on these 3dRose pages.
Sandy Mertens Easter Coffee Gift Baskets
Sandy Mertens Easter Vintage Coffee Gift Baskets
Best of Easter
Chocolate and Toy Bunnies
Rabbits to Put a Smile on Your Face
Easter is not complete without chocolate and fluffy stuffed bunnies.
Large Milk Chocolate Easter BunnyGodiva Chocolatier Milk Chocolate Solid Bunny with Foil Eggs
Dark Chocolate Easter Bunny Rabbit 1lb Solid Chocolate
The Petting Zoo Floppy Long Eared 17″ Brynn Stuffed Bunny RabbitGiant Stuffed Easter Bunny Plush; Over 5 Feet High, 7′ w/ Ears
Jellycat Bashful Grey Bunny, Large – 14 inches
© 2016 Sandy Mertens (Sandyspider)
Such a fun selection you have featured here about the history of the easter bunny and gifts for the occasion!
It will be here again soon, so good time to start getting some celebration ideas!
Beautiful Easter ware Sandy, and I love the artwork on the postcards you have designed.
Thank you.
Love the vintage post cards!
They are my favorite too.
They are my favorite to do too, MareeT.
Great info and lots of fun bunny gifts to add to your Easter Baskets
Thank you Gamganny.