Fun Facts - Easter Origins of Egg Hunts & Rabbits

Did you know? 

1. The term Easter egg also means a hidden message, cryptic reference, iconic image, or inside joke, fans are intended to discover.

2. The eggshell was seen as a symbol of the tomb from which Jesus emerged, while the egg itself represented new life. 

3. The Easter hare was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s.

4. Eostre, a Germanic goddess was known as "the Goddess of the Dawn." Ancient believers held a big festival around Spring Equinox which involved feasts, giant bonfires, and sword dances. 

5. Eostre entertained groups of children, transforming her pet bird into a pet rabbit which could lay eggs.

6. The story evolved, morphing into the legend of the ‘Osterhase’ – an egg-laying hare who hid eggs. 

7.  18th-century German immigrants brought the 'Osterhase' tradition to Pennsylvania and it spread across the country. 

8. The Easter hare became an Easter bunny, and real eggs were replaced with molded chocolate eggs.

9. Chocolate eggs were made popular by Cadbury in the late 19th century.

10. It's traditional to have an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday.

11. Most people eat the ears of their chocolate bunny first. 

12. The largest rabbit made of chocolate was created in Brazil. 9 professionals took 8 days straight to construct it.