Commentary the History of the Easter Bunny
Easter as a festival goes back to times before the church gained the power it has today, which is where the idea of the Easter bunny we know today comes from.
So how did we get to giving chocolate eggs to children? This is the commercial reality of this world, in that we have to spend money in large amounts in order to be a fully fledged member. When I was young, which is only thirty odd years ago, we would decorate eggs ready for Easter Sunday, then these were boiled for our breakfast. Sitting in their egg cups they looked delightful with their range of spring colours bringing a brightness to our tables. We knew that spring was really with us and that the days would get ever lighter and warmer. The garden would be bursting at the seams with all the new shoots making a bid for freedom from the Earth towards the sun. The birds were happy singing from early morning until dusk, building and rebuilding their nests ready for their young.
This time of year is a time of renewal/rebirth, when the Earth is warming and waking up from its hibernation. Seeds which have laid dormant begin to stretch their heads above the soil to feel the warmth the sun has gained since the Longest Night. It is the time to plant this seasons crops, clean away the dust accumulated over winter and watch new life entering the lands.
In times before the common era many Gods and Goddesses were honoured, each having a specific path in life, death and rebirth. It is not important that there are many Gods and Goddesses, in fact it helps when understanding the meanings behind the festivals of the year.
For this time of the year we look to the Goddess Ostrara, of fertility and rebirth. She is a maiden Goddess, honoured at the time of the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox, this gives her more energy to unfold spring. The Rabbit/Hare and egg are fertility symbols associated with Ostrara, and the White Hare is said to have been her familiar.
So how do we get to the Easter bunny? Well the Hare loved the goddess Ostrara so much he wanted to honour her. He knew the egg was a sacred item and wished he could give the Goddess some. He asked that on the night of the full moon he be allowed to lay some eggs which he could decorate and leave for the Goddess to find at dawn. The moon shone brightly on the Hare and granted the wish. At dawn the Goddess Ostrara was delighted to find so many brightly decorated eggs, she thanked the Hare for the gift which brought spring colours to her home. So delighted was the Goddess she wished to share it with all of humankind and asked the Hare if he would share his gifts around the world. So giving the Hare speed to cover great distances, he set about his task and delivered his brightly decorated eggs to all who lived in the countryside of the world.
Now he had an advantage over Santa Claus, as the full moon lasts for three nights, so he was able to cover the distance and deliver all his eggs before the moon began to wane. The people would wake to find eggs a plenty around the village, encouraging the children to hunt them out from every nook and cranny. In return the people would pay homage to the Goddess Ostrara and her Hare and leave offerings of bread and ale in thanks for the gifts which signified the return of spring.
Today of course we have the Christian celebrations of the death and rebirth of Jesus, which are celebrated over the same period. As the church grew it needed to convert all the peoples living in the world, so they incorporated the old traditions into the new making it easier for their congregations to maintain some of their old traditions. The festival of Ostrara is now know as Easter, and the tradition of giving eggs has grown along with societies. We mainly give chocolate eggs to children but the story telling of why this is a tradition has long been lost. This leads to misunderstanding of why we behave in certain ways at certain times of the year. It took me until I reached my mid life to discover why we celebrate a lot of things, but now I can see the meanings behind the behaviours and my eyes become clear.
So that is how we have come to the commercial standpoint of Easter, with all its trimmings and why we should just take the time to revel in the magick of this time of the year giving thanks for all that is new in our lives.
