Who is the Easter Bunny?

Which child does not know about the Easter Bunny? Is he not the springtime equivalent of Santa Claus - perhaps a bit lighter on the presents - or Saint Nicholas (except you do not need to leave out your shoes to receive the goodies)? This imaginary rabbit has been around for a long time, and children over the last few centuries have loved to look for the eggs this crafty bunny has allegedly hidden for them to find.

In folklore, the bunny is actually said to be laying the eggs himself rather than receiving them from kindly hens as is often suggested in cartoons. Of course, most children do not hold on to the belief in the Easter Bunny - unlike the legend of Santa Claus - since they are in fact the ones who are dying Easter eggs, only to find these eggs hidden the next day. It is pretty clear that mom and dad probably had a hand in this!

Legends about the actual origin of the bunny are a bit murky. Some claim that the goddess Ostara used a bunny to provide some entertainment to some children, while others claim that the bunny with the egg connection was made when the ancient Romans believed that all life sprang from an egg. Still others assert that Easter is nothing more than a pagan celebration of fertility and rebirth, and when it comes to prolific breeding, what other animal can claim as much offspring as a rabbit? Whatever the case may be, the bunny is here to stay, and each year many a parent will have their child's picture taken with a costumed man or woman.

Of course, with so much popularity also comes the downside: each year in the spring the pet shops are filled with the most adorable little bunnies. They are soft, cute, and absolutely huggable. It is only natural that many a child will beg and plead with mom and dad to receive such a little bundle of joy for Easter. If you are a parent, do not give in! If you already have decided in your heart to add a bunny to your family, wait until after Easter and then visit the local rabbit rescue where you will be able to have your pick of many adorable specimens - some of which are still wearing the same bright colored ribbons they originally did in the pet shop. The sad reality is that once the newness of the animal has worn off, many a family will simply get rid of the little bunny - do not be one of them. The Easter Bunny may be many things, but he most certainly is not a disposable toy!