Easter Bunny

Okay, the Easter Bunny is all a bit new to me being an American concept that's only become popular over here in recent years, but what is it all about and how does it work?

I've explained to my child what Easter is about - both the crufixtion ("don't traumatise me with any more images of Christ nailed to a cross mummy." "What do you mean he was fully God and fully man?") and a celebration of spring and re-birth in the natural world.

The Easter Bunny also visits the garden and leaves chocolate eggs that are found by ingenius clues and maps, in handwriting very similar to mine. He also leaves presents.

Now there's more questions about the Bunny (is he like Santa and can see everything? Does he reward only good children? Why is a rabbit leaving eggs?). So far I've said that I can tell him what to bring by sending him an email. But where the f**k does he live? Why does he do this? Why is he such a big rabbit trying to give kids chocolate with is bad for your teeth and makes you fat?

Any help?

Burger the Easter Bunny, what a wonderful mum. May your children share your instinct to fill in all the gaps left by our education system. Whether we agree with any of the many said gaps, or not.

Can you do calculus?

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 12:02 PM BST

what a wonderful mum.

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Yes I am . Well, it's probably the only thing I can do remotely well.

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 12:02 PM BST

Can you do calculus?

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Yes. And Latin. And good themed birthday parties and magic shows at the birthday parties. In fact all the things I missed out on as a child.

It's not actually an American tradition, it is a European one, it's just that Americans tend to go for it more, a bit like halloween. I'm not sure where bunnies delivering gifts are from but the bunny itself comes from the Pagan festivial of Ostara which is very similar to Easter. The idea is quite simple. In paganism, The "goddess" goes through three phases, the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, thoughout the year. At Ostara, this is when the Goddess starts to move into the "Mother" phase. A common symbol of the Goddess at this time is the bunny or to be more precise, the hare, symbolising fertility. In other words, it's a nicked idea.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ April 2 2009, 1:15 PM BST

It's not actually an American tradition, it is a European one, it's just that Americans tend to go for it more, a bit like halloween. I'm not sure where bunnies delivering gifts are from but the bunny itself comes from the Pagan festivial of Ostara which is very similar to Easter. The idea is quite simple. In paganism, The "goddess" goes through three phases, the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, thoughout the year. At Ostara, this is when the Goddess starts to move into the "Mother" phase. A common symbol of the Goddess at this time is the bunny or to be more precise, the hare, symbolising fertility. In other words, it's a nicked idea.

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So it's a bunny girl.

I was thinking of getting a real bunny as a present. But I might be overdoing it with the pets as it is.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 2 2009, 11:52 AM BST

The Easter Bunny also visits the garden and leaves chocolate eggs that are found by ingenius clues and maps, in handwriting very similar to mine. He also leaves presents.

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Gosh, you seem like such a cool Mum.

As for the connection between Jesus and the Easter Bunny, it was all neatly explained in a South Park episode based on that dreadful book The DaVinci Code. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Easter_Special

Quote: DaButt @ April 2 2009, 1:46 PM BST

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That sounds more in keeping with my family values.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ April 2 2009, 1:15 PM BST

the bunny itself comes from the Pagan festivial of Ostara which is very similar to Easter.

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The moon deity was also known as Astaroth, Ishtar, and a few other similar names, that the festival name mirrors. If my memory is correct.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 2 2009, 1:10 PM BST

Yes. And Latin.

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Yippee, I used to know a fair bit but am reduced to "Flavia puella est," at parties. Now you know why I get so few invites these days.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 2 2009, 1:26 PM BST

I was thinking of getting a real bunny as a present. But I might be overdoing it with the pets as it is.

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Please make sure it's part of a neutered same-sex pair - if hutchbound. A social animal trapped in a hutch for life, with all the sexual frustrations of an adult, is a horrible fate. But if your as good with animals as you are little uns then you're already aware.

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 1:58 PM BST

The moon deity was also known as Astaroth, Ishtar, and a few other similar names, that the festival name mirrors. If my memory is correct.

Yippee, I used to know a fair bit but am reduced to "Flavia puella est," at parties. Now you know why I get so few invites these days.

Please make sure it's part of a neutered same-sex pair - if hutchbound. A social animal trapped in a hutch for life, with all the sexual frustrations of an adult, is a horrible fate. But if your as good with animals as you are little uns then you're already aware.

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Writen from personal experience......

Fascinating I like the way Easter has dodged the worst commercialism of Christmas.

I will as ever be playing the role of the wicked son.

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 1:58 PM BST

Yippee, I used to know a fair bit but am reduced to "Flavia puella est," at parties. Now you know why I get so few invites these days.

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Ah, you obviously did the 'Ecce Romano!' book too!

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 1:58 PM BST

Please make sure it's part of a neutered same-sex pair - if hutchbound.

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The animal welfare organizations hate Easter because they always have a glut of unwanted rabbits, ducks and chickens a few weeks after their cuteness wears off.

Quote: SlagA @ April 2 2009, 1:58 PM BST

Please make sure it's part of a neutered same-sex pair - if hutchbound. A social animal trapped in a hutch for life, with all the sexual frustrations of an adult, is a horrible fate. But if your as good with animals as you are little uns then you're already aware.

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I have two guinea pigs with an indoor cage for night time (too many foxes around here) and a huge run in the garden. I used to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together as a kid, but I think that's not advised now?

Quote: DaButt @ April 2 2009, 2:02 PM BST

The animal welfare organizations hate Easter because they always have a glut of unwanted rabbits, ducks and chickens a few weeks after their cuteness wears off.

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That must be one hell of a barbeque.

Quote: sootyj @ April 2 2009, 2:04 PM BST

That must be one hell of a barbeque.

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Unless it's PETA. Then they cut the middle man out.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 2 2009, 2:03 PM BST

I used to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together as a kid, but I think that's not advised now?

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Yep, pet shops do it all the time but bunnies bully small furries, sometimes to death, esp when adolescence hits.