Now before I begin, let’s put some cards on the table - When it comes to my choice of gods I currently tick the box with "Taoist" on even though it’s more of a philosophy than a religion. If pushed I would have leanings towards a wheel of the year, working in harmony with nature type affair. So I think it's probably safe to say I have "views" on the whole Easter thing.
It all fits together so nicely you see. Lets take the our favourite culprit, the Venerable Bede, who may or may not have made up a Spring Goddess being worshipped in the Germanic tribes called Eostre. Now Eostre's name comes from Eos meaning Dawn. And we also get the words Easter and East from the same root <ooh spooky> And it is likely that some if not many Germanic tribes did worship or give thanks to the dawn - The bringing of a new day. And this time of year was particularly noteworthy as the crops started growing, the animals started breeding, the days were getting longer and in fact we could all take a deep breath that we had survived the winter. Excellent. Maybe what Bede did was gather all these stories together and give them a name - Eostre. But by heck did she make some waves.
With Eostre came all that lovely symbolism of new life - Eggs and bunnies.... Or did it?
Before Easter was Easter it was Paschal - Passover. As we know the Last Supper was a Seder, the Passover meal, and guess what was a part of that meal? You'll never guess. No, not bunnies, that would be weird, but eggs. As a symbol of the sacrifices made. And as a symbol of mourning. Now why would we be mourning? Lets bring in our big hitter Jesus Christ.
Jesus was arrested and crucified after Passover and died only to be reborn some time later - Is that a story of rebirth and resurrection? Why yes it is! With a big egg shaped stone too. See, it's all fitting together!
Ok lets go back to the bunny. Neo pagans will jump up and and down and tell you that its a hare. Bunnies are a great symbol of spring, the frisky little devils and according to some, the Lutherans had a fable of a Bunny who knew if you'd been good or not and brought sweets and toys - Surprised Coca Cola hasn't nobbled him.
Many traditions included the decorating and giving of brightly coloured eggs and who hasn't stood on a stool in their kitchen with hard boiled eggs tied up and floating in boiling onion skins to give a tie dye effect?
The chocolate egg didn't make an appearance until the 19th century with Mr Cadbury launching his in the 1870s. According to the website "The Easter egg market is one of the most exciting confectionery markets, with new ranges and presentations attracting more consumers every year."
Something to look forward to then.
