non-Christians, have renamed him the “Spring Bunny.” On the other hand, some Christians disavow Easter altogether in recognition of the pagan roots of the holiday. In Australia, the introduction of rabbits – a non-native species – nearly resulted in an ecological disaster when they bred into a plague. Australians have been trying to replace the Easter Bunny with an indigenous species, a marsupial known as a Bilby. If you’re in the Land Down Under on Easter (where it’s actually occurs during the fall), children’s Easter baskets are just as likely to contain a chocolate bilby as it does a chocolate bunny.
Another story attributes the Easter Bunny to an “ancient” pagan legend. According to this “legend,” the goddess Eostre – for whom “Easter” is supposedly named – found a wounded bird in a snowy forest one winter. In order to help it survive the cold, she turned it into a rabbit – but the transformation was incomplete, because the rabbit continued to lay eggs. In gratitude, the rabbit decorated her eggs and presented them to Eostre every spring. Oddly, there are no references to this legend predating 1990, so it’s doubtful that this tale constitutes any sort of ancient tradition.
Nonetheless, Easter, gifts and Easter baskets continues to be a fun celebration of spring for children of all ages.? ?