The Origins of 11 Easter Traditions

Some Easter traditions have long histories.
Some Easter traditions have long histories. / MEDITERRANEAN/Getty Images
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2. The Easter Bunny

Illustration Of Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny has pagan origins. / GraphicaArtis/GettyImages

At first glance, it’s hard to imagine what a giant rabbit has to do with any type of religious holiday. But according to Time, the tradition again dates back to the pagans. They celebrated a goddess of fertility named Eostre—and you may recall that fertility is exactly the trait rabbits are most famous for. It’s thought that German immigrants brought their tradition of an egg-laying hare called Osterhase to the U.S. in the 1700s.