You've certainly seen pictures and toys called "the Easter bunny" everywhere just before Easter. Maybe you've even crossed people dressed in a bunny costume and walking around handing out colored eggs and candy.

But Where does this tradition come from?
The Easter bunny may have had its beginning in Germany where it is said a poor woman once dyed some eggs during a famine and hid them in a nest as an Easter gift for her children.  Just as the children discovered the next a large rabbit jumped away.  The story spread that the rabbit had brought the Easter eggs.

Do you know what other animal represents Easter?
If any animal were used as a symbol of the true celebration of Easter, can you guess what it might be?  It would be a lamb.  The Bible calls Jesus "the lamb of God" (John 1:29).

In Old Testament times God asked His people to kill a lamb as a sacrifice for sin.  This lamb did not take away sin.  It was a picture of the Saviour that God would send one day to die for the sins of the world.  Jesus did come to earth 2,000 years ago.  He died for our sins and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  These are the special events we celebrate on Easter weekend.

When we receive Jesus as our Savior He gives us new life (2 Corinthians 5:17).  As we see baby lambs in the spring we can also be reminded of this new life.