Heath Lennon

Every Easter, we all wake up in a splendid mood—the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and each and every one of us can’t wait to grab our egg baskets and get to hunting those Easter Bunny specialties. 

However, unlike Santa Claus, who meets up with you at your local mall every December, the Easter Bunny remains mysterious, with the only proof of his hippity-hoppitying around your abode being the eggs he leaves behind. In this article, we take a deep dive into the school, interviewing wildkits to find out the secrets of the infamous rabbit to answer the lifelong question: Who’s The Bunny?

Question 1: Why is Easter represented by a rabbit?

On this magical holiday, every moment and event must be perfect for us to feel the Easter cheer. This includes the mascot of this celebration, who needs to get around Evanston each Spring flawlessly for us to feel the enchantment of the best Sunday of the year (after the Super Bowl, of course). 

The animal could be any species, but why a rabbit? After pondering the inquiry, an anonymous junior responded, “Eggs are placed in hard-to-find spots so they are protected. Can an elephant step into your house and hide the eggs? No, he would be forced to drop the eggs on the floor in plain sight, shattering them in the process. Bunnies are perfect for hopping around the home and placing the eggs safely, which is why they represent Easter.” 

Sophomore Clare Conroy offers an alternative take, stating, “Dogs and cats have babies whenever, but bunnies have babies in Spring. That’s why Easter’s represented by a bunny.”

Our reason why? Bunnies are pure, joyful, and magical. Have you ever seen a bunny and thought, “Wow, I’m so sad.” No! Anyone who sees a bunny will immediately associate it with happiness and therefore become happy themself at the sight of said bunny, and happiness is the foundation of feeling the Easter spirit.

Question 2: Where do the eggs come from?

This question offers a multitude of theories—and equally many rebuttals to said theories. As it is a widely debated topic, we are dedicated to finally putting a rest to this paramount argument.

Freshman Calvin Pence ties it back to other legends, offering the idea that “Santa’s elves make the eggs sometimes.” While an interesting idea, we can be sure that Santa, and therefore his elves, are altogether inactive due to them preparing gifts for the next Christmas throughout the year, and so too busy to aid in the egg-making process. Pence later added, “The bunny also orders them in bulk from Cadbury.” This is much more likely considering the fact that no one eats Cadbury eggs outside of April, so the Easter Rabbit can order a lot of eggs for cheap in the off-season. 

An anonymous student offered a scientifically backed take, stating that “The bunny is a girl, and that’s where the eggs come from.” While clearly true, this opinion is somehow highly contested, with sophomore Nebula Cochran offering, “I typically hear the bunny referred to as a male,” along with multiple other interviewees referring to the rabbit as a “him.” Again, reinforced by Sophomore Clare Conroy, “If the bunny is laying eggs, she would need to be female.” In addition, the Easter bunny being a female would make sense due to Easter commonly being in March, Women’s History Month. The Easter bunny would therefore be a huge role model for aspiring children across the globe, so we can conclude that the Easter bunny is indeed a lady.

Question 3: Why does the Easter Bunny give eggs?

This is a difficult question. Freshman Mahin Goel asked, “Why should Christmas have all the fun? The Easter bunny envies Santa Claus and how celebrated St. Nick is compared to her. That’s why, to compete, she spreads the Easter joy, similar to how Santa spreads Christmas cheer.” Pence added, “The eggs are a gift of generosity. You get out of winter, and everything’s so happy. The Easter Bunny feels happy, and his wholesome self wants to share that joy with everyone.” 

We thought they were both onto something, but we didn’t feel completely confident with their answer. After thinking about our personal Easter experiences, that’s when it hit us—the Easter bunny doesn’t give eggs, he gives the egg-hunting experience. But what’s so special about the experience that makes us excited to continue the egg-hunting tradition year after year? It’s simple, really: it’s a piece of childhood that always sticks with you. No matter how old you get, the Easter bunny reminds you that it’s okay to be a kid, one who wants to explore and discover the wonderful mysteries that the rabbit places in and around your home. So, how are you going to celebrate Easter this year? Are you going to accept the eggs as the Easter bunny’s gifts, or are you going to appreciate them and discover the real gift of Easter—childhood?