Easter has an awkward history, no doubt.
So many of the iconic images and traditions of Easter have pagan origins. But isn’t it amazing that most elements of Easter can be reclaimed to point to Christ? So where do some of our Easter symbols come from?
In some households, a character known as the Easter Bunny delivers candy and chocolate eggs to children on Easter Sunday morning.
In the spring, rabbits are often associated with birth, fertility, and renewal. In many ancient cultures, the holiday of the Spring Equinox was celebrated.
According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other candy and gifts.
Easter Eggs—A Symbol of Rebirth and Renewal
Decorating eggs predates Christianity. Some 2,500 years ago, the ancient Persians, or Zoroastrians, painted eggs for Nowruz, or Persian New Year. Persian families still dye eggs for the springtime celebration, which kicks off on the vernal equinox. And there are more eggs, too. One of the traditional items served during the holiday is kuku sabzi, a frittata loaded with herbs representing rebirth and eggs representing fertility.
It’s no secret that religions often borrow from each other, and that’s where the Easter connection comes in. No one knows for sure when Christians adopted the tradition of painting eggs. One of the earliest records is from 1290 when England’s King Edward I ordered 450 eggs to be colored (or covered with fancy gold leaf) and given to royal relatives.
Funny enough, given how ancient the practice is, our mass-market egg-dying kits haven’t changed much since a New Jersey drugstore owner invented the Paas dye tablets in the late 1800s.
The Lamb-A Symbol of Sacrifice and Rebirth
Lamb is often a traditional Easter food. Christians refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” though lamb at Easter also has roots in early Passover celebrations. In the story of Exodus, the people of Egypt suffered a series of terrible plagues, including the death of all firstborn sons.
Members of the Jewish faith painted their doorposts with sacrificed lamb’s blood so that God would “pass over” their homes. Jews who converted to Christianity continued the tradition of eating lamb at Easter.
The Cross—A Symbol of Transformation
The cross symbolizes our faith and embodies God’s transformational power.
Just think about it. In the Roman Empire, the cross was the most despicable criminal sentence. It was a gruesome form of torture, reserved for the worst criminals.
But what do we see now?
After Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection on Easter morning, it symbolizes hope, salvation, and love. That is a powerful transformation.
That is the transformation God wants to do with us. He wants to take our sin-filled, stained hearts and wash them white as snow. He wants to trade our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. And he has done that through the events we celebrate during Easter.
Valerie Fentress is the award-winning author of An Easter Bunny’s Tale and host of the BookWorthy Podcast, helping families find children’s books that are good for heart and soul.
