Is the Easter Bunny pagan? Probably not. It seems to have been invented by German-speaking Protestants sometime in the 1600s.
Bibliography:
Stephen Winick, “Ostara and the Hare: Not Ancient, but Not As Modern As Some Skeptics Think,” Library of Congress Blogs, April 28, 2016.
Stephen Winick, On the Bunny Trail: In Search of the Easter Bunny, Library of Congress Blogs, March 22, 2016
I get you, and the video, and the folklore.
Still, when did someone actually decide to tell their kids that rabbits lay chocolate eggs?
Like what in the actual fuck? Have you ever seen a real rabbit turd? What the fuck did the parents expect, for their kids to go find and eat rabbit shit as some sort of prank?
I can’t speak for everyone, but I was taught that the Easter Bunny brought the eggs, not laid them. The mechanics were always left vague, but I imagined kind of a large anthropomorphic rabbit. He brought decorated hard boiled eggs and hid them for us to find, and a basket of candy.
Just imagine a furry breaking into your home in the middle of the night to leave gifts.
Mommy, the bad rabbit guy touched me again…
😂🤣
There are actually lots of photos on the web of crying children sitting on the laps of unintentionally scary mall easter bunnies. :^)
Chocolate eggs are pretty modern. I believe normal eggs were used during the celebration.
Eggs are associated with Jesus and Easter, by extension.