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Posted by: Stephen Winick
Note: A shorter version of this article was published in the March/April 2016 issue of LCM: Library of Congress Magazine. Download a pdf here. We also transformed this article into episode 6 of our podcast. Find the podcast at this link! Scan your favorite newspapers or news websites this April 1, and chances are you’ll …
Posted in: April Fool's Day, Holidays, Practical Jokes
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Note: Some of this research, and an interview with the author, is being included in a report on CBS Sunday Morning, which should air Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. While I was doing the research for my recent blog post on the history of the Easter Bunny, I noticed that the Library of Congress has …
Posted by: Stephen Winick
The Easter Bunny, like Santa Claus, is the bringer of gifts on a popular American holiday. Throughout the country, the swift little creature is said to deliver decorated eggs to children on Easter. In some variants of this story, the bunny is even said to lay eggs, presenting a challenge to biology teachers everywhere! So what’s the story on this odd tradition? Let’s take a look. We'll examine claims that the Easter Bunny is related to a pagan goddess, Eostre or Ostara. We'll also look at the origin of the Easter Bunny in Pennsylvania Dutch and German traditions, including the Easter Hare.
Posted in: Animals, Easter, Easter, German Americans, Holidays, Jacob Grimm, Legends, Myths