The Easter bunny, who delivers baskets of treats, has been a symbol of Easter since about the 1700s. Brought to America by German immigrants, the rabbit symbolizes new life, tying in with this spring season when the natural world wakes up after winter. It also metaphorically echoes in the origins of the Christian holiday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
The Easter bunny originally brought colorful eggs, but soon that tradition included chocolate and other small gifts. Sometimes children would leave out carrots for the Easter bunny! American children started building nests out of leaves and sticks in their garden to be filled by the Easter bunny. This moved the tradition outside and later became the Easter egg hunt. However, Easter baskets continue the tradition of filling a “nest” with goodies, leading to the tradition of receiving more than just chocolate eggs.
But why do people indulge in so many sweets on Easter? Part of this tradition may come from the end of the Lenten Season on Easter. Many people swear off indulgent foods during Lent, which makes their Easter candy that much more appealing.
