Why Do We Eat Chocolate Bunnies for Easter?

Other than the fact they’re delicious! Ready for some facts?

Though Easter is celebrated by Christians remembering Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. chocolate bunnies can be found everywhere. But according to the ‘Encyclopedia of Religion,’ “the Easter bunny has never received any specific Christian interpretation.”

That’s because much of the Easter bunny tradition is derived from Ostara, the Germanic pre-Christian fertility goddess. The word “Easter” stems from her name, and it is said that she used to have a pet rabbit. Her name spawned a fictional character, Oschter Haws, a rabbit who gave children eggs on Easter. During the Industrial Revolution, smooth, solid chocolate was developed. Meanwhile, Germany started perfecting chocolate molds, including the form of rabbits.

It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that the chocolate bunny made its way to America. One of the best-known first sightings was a five-foot chocolate rabbit outside a drugstore in Pennsylvania around 1890. The trend caught on, and the rest — is history!