The Christian faith celebration that commemorates the risen Saviour, Easter, comes early this year. March 23rd will bring Sunday morning sunrise services, brand-new brightly colored dresses and yes, Easter baskets full of chocolates, those gross marshmallow chicks and plastic eggs.

So, where does the tradition come from? The notion that an over-sized rabbit sneaks into homes across the country to deliver fake grass-filled baskets of goodies is absurd…unless you are five. For centuries, children have anticipated the annual arrival of the Easter Bunny.

The origins of the Easter Bunny actually have nothing to do with the Christian celebration of Easter, and actually derive from pagan lore that considers the hare and the rabbit among the most fertile animals known. They served as a symbol of the new life that the Spring season brings. Parents would tell their children that the magic hare would come bearing gifts during the Spring festival.

The symbol of the bunny began in Germany in the late 16th century and has leaked into American culture to become the iconic bearer of Spring that we know today as the Easter Bunny.