Every kid in America loves a visit from the Easter Bunny, but did you know he’s actually from Germany? That’s a long way to hop every year! Learn some more fun facts about Easter, and you’ll be everyone’s favorite guest at Easter brunch.
Fun Facts About Easter
Believe it or not, it’s true: The Easter Bunny is from Germany. Rabbits are a symbol of fertility in German folklore, so an egg-loving rabbit made perfect sense to the German people back when Easter was introduced to their country. When Germans started to immigrate to America, they brought the tradition with them, and that’s how the modern-day Easter Bunny was born.
That’s just one of the many strange, funny, and true facts you can learn about this holiday. Read on for some of our favorite fun facts about Easter.
The Easter Bunny Has International Competition
Most American kids who celebrate Easter look forward to a visit from the Easter Bunny. However, did you know that children in Switzerland are waiting for an Easter visit from the cuckoo bird? And in Australia, kids look forward to getting candy from the bilby, otherwise known as the rabbit-eared bandicoot. It’s nice of these animals to give the Easter Bunny a break!
Easter Is a Celebration of Spring
In the United States, Easter is primarily observed as a Christian holiday. Because of that, you might be surprised to learn that Easter has roots in European pagan Anglo-Saxon traditions. Easter is commonly believed to be named after the pagan fertility goddess Eostre, and Easter traditions like egg hunts are borne from the celebrations that used to happen in her name to celebrate spring. This is why Easter includes elements such as flowers, eggs, and our friendly neighborhood bunny.
Dressing Up for Easter Brings Good Luck
Did you have to wear your nicest clothes to Easter services when you were a kid? Thank the superstitious folks of the 19th century, who believed that wearing new clothes at Easter would bring prosperity. Fast forward to the 20th century, and pastels and Easter bonnets became the vogue after Irving Berlin released a song called Easter Parade. However, Easter fashions vary dramatically outside of the United States. For example, in Finland, kids dress up as witches on Easter Sunday for an extra round of trick-or-treating.
America Has a Sweet Tooth for Easter
Speaking of kids, anyone who celebrates Easter with children knows that the highlight is candy. In America, we take our Easter candy seriously. Did you know that we consume over 600 million marshmallow Peeps a year? Or that enough jelly beans are eaten every year to circle the Earth five times? Easter might be your dentist’s favorite holiday.
Save a Chick, Dye an Egg
Have you ever seen a dyed Easter chick? In some areas of America, it’s common to dye chicks and chickens with colorful hues and give them as Easter gifts. While many people still love this practice, it is commonly decried for causing chicks mental and physical distress, and it can also lead to animal shelters dealing with an influx of abandoned chickens after the holiday concludes. If you want to make something colorful for Easter, most people would encourage you to dye Easter eggs instead. And with 230 million eggs sold for Easter every year, you’ll be in great company.
_____
You can use these fun facts as conversation starters, or as a way to add something extra to Easter cards and emails. However you celebrate Easter, we hope you have a great one!
Are you planning to retire in Greenville, South Carolina? Be sure to check out The Gables on Pelham, a continuing care retirement community that welcomes seniors from all walks of life. We offer flexible and personalized care, including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation. You’ll love our cozy accommodations, fun-filled events calendar, and welcoming community atmosphere. To learn more, please schedule a tour or give us a call at 864-713-1377.