While we have our American image of the Easter bunny, some other countries view this bunny a bit differently. In countries such as Australia, they have an “Easter Bilby,” which is a marsupial (a kangaroo), instead of a bunny. In Norway, the national Easter animal is a baby chick, known as the “Påskekyllinger.” Sweden and Finland have an “Easter Witch,” which gives children the opportunity to dress up and bring drawings from door to door in exchange for candy. Some countries do not have an ‘Easter animal’ at all, and relatives or family members give children candy and treats for the holiday.
Although Easter is a religious holiday, the Easter bunny is not technically a religious symbol of any kind. The exact roots linking this bubbly little fella to the world-wide symbol of the Easter holiday are not known for sure; however, the ‘bunny’ (as an animal) is often associated with the idea of ‘new life,' which is connected to the season of spring when everything is blooming and sprouting and beautiful, bright colors encompass nature. Therefore, the Easter Bunny, a symbol of new life, is typically portrayed in bright colors with budding flowers and green earth abounding.
As it turns out, the Easter bunny is more than just the fictional portrayal of a cartoon bunny hiding pastel-colored Easter eggs in our American movies and cartoons. The symbolism of the Easter bunny has roots beyond our shores, and much of that which is associated with his visit here in the United States represents the season in which he appears and the reawakening of the Earth’s natural beauty which occurs once the winter freeze has thawed the land.