The Easter Bunny The secular symbol of Easter?

April 23, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Karen D’souza

San Jose Mercury News

Once again, just as it happens each Easter, here comes Peter Cottontail.

But even as the animated flick “Hop” jumps up the box-office rankings and tykes all over the nation get ready to scramble for the beloved annual tradition of the Easter egg hunt, we take a moment to ask: What exactly does the Easter Bunny have to do with the resurrection of Christ? (Not so much.) And why does the bunny hide eggs anyway?

As Bugs might say, What’s up, Doc?

Although the true origins of the Easter Bunny may remain lost in the mists of time, many point to the springtime celebrations of 13th-century Germany. One of the deities worshipped was Eostre, the goddess of spring and the dawn who has been portrayed as a comely maiden carrying a basket filled with dyed-red eggs and a pair of cuddly little baby hares.

Over time, some say, the goddess got lost — but the bunny and the eggs stuck.

“It’s really a lovely tradition,” said Scot M. Guenter, professor of American studies at San Jose State. “The bunny symbolizes fecundity, and the eggs represent the cycle of life.”

In fact, these customs may go even further back in antiquity. Some say giving eggs in spring might trace back to the Persians and that the bunny first popped up in Celtic lore. The bottom line is that when our little children are hunting around in the grass, they may be harkening back to pagan fertility rituals. So how did these ancient rites get woven into the fabric of a Christian holiday commemorating the rebirth of Christ?

“As the church moved around the globe, it assimilated a lot of the local culture,” says Guenter. “It’s a way of getting your system accepted. You build on what was there before.”

Indeed, there’s no contradiction in blending religious holidays with secular customs, the sacred and the sugary, scholars say. In fact, it’s the eclectic nature of global culture that feeds the human experience.

“People say ‘pagan’ as if it were pejorative, but it’s not. That’s the beauty of Catholicism. In the long trajectory of history, we pick up a little of this and a little of that,” says Janet Giddings, professor of theology at Santa Clara University. “We go to church, and the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is at the center of our holiday, and then we go home and hunt for chocolate eggs. There’s no conflict there. It’s all about the wonder of spring. Life is a gift, and all of it points to God.”

Many believe the long-eared legend was imported to America in the 1700s when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Back in those days, children even left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all that hopping.

The fame of the fluffy fellow grew over the years. As the years passed, the ritual became part of who we are and how we define ourselves as Americans. In a nation of immigrants from vastly divergent cultures, the function of such unifying rituals can’t be overstated.

“That’s part of the strength of American culture — it’s a smorgasbord,” said Guenter, “Over time, these rituals hold us together as a community; they give us a sense of order and structure as a people. Now the Easter Bunny belongs to everybody.”

Like Santa Claus, another secular figure who pops up prominently during a religious holiday, the famed rabbit is now a beloved aspect of spring for many Americans.

Many factors influence which traditions remain with us and which die out over time. Our collective mythology constantly is adapting to the needs of our time.

“Why do some stories persist? If a story is important enough to us, it will spread out and last and endure,” said New York-based folklorist and journalist Kate Orenstein, author of “Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked.” “It becomes malleable as well. The stories change and evolve over time.”