Easter is fast approaching and with it, all the joys of the season: easter egg hunts, elaborate bonnets, families gathering together around the table, chocolates, and bunnies!
No one is exactly sure how rabbits became associated with the holiday — particularly egg-laying ones though both hares and eggs have been considered symbols of fertility since ancient times. According to History.com and other sources, many of the traditions we associate with Easter were popularized by 18th-Century German immigrants to Pennsylvania. These included an egg-laying bunny called "Osterhase" who, similar to Santa Claus, would judge whether children were good or bad and reward them with chocolates accordingly.
This year, we're turning tradition on its head and judging the bunnies instead. Here are the top picks for Easter Bunny ideas across five categories.
The Tastiest Bunnies
We start with chocolate rabbits, because everyone loves chocolate rabbits. We couldn't decide on just one so, to help find the best, we look to Thespruce.com, who ID'd the tastiest and swankiest. Their top five includes hand-painted chocolate bunnies, golden Swiss bunnies, and a organic three-pounder for $99.00. We also learned from People.com that chocolate bunnies taking selfies will be this year's trendy Easter item. Does this world need more people, or bunnies, taking selfies? We think not. Still, it is so much better than 2015's ostentatious 11-pound, diamond-eyed $49,000 chocolate bunny.
The Steampunkiest Bunny
Lewis Carroll's playful-yet-disorienting masterpiece, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, remains a hit in the steampunk and cosplay communities. Sure, Carroll's fantastical world is not as gizmo-oriented as stories by fellow mid-19th Century writers like H.G. Wells or Jules Verne, but Carroll's work is psychologically ornate which allows incredible displays of self-expression. Of all the characters in Carroll's tale, the White Rabbit, with his ever-present watch and huge top hat, is arguably the most iconic. Judging by the incredible costumes available on Pinterest, Etsy, Amazon and elsewhere, it is hard to disagree.
The Scariest Bunny
Last year, AtmosFX.com put together a somewhat exhaustive list of rabbits from movies and TV that did not, shall we say, fit the typical Peter Cottontail stereotype. Of the more than 20 selections included on the list, it is impossible not to call out the 1972 horror film, Night of the Lepus. In the film, a small town is terrorized by a pack of blood-thirsty giant rabbits, after an experimental serum intended to suppress the rabbits goes, as it always does in these types of movies, terribly wrong. If that isn't enough Eastertime terror for you, we award second place to the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python's Holy Grail.
The Most Versatile Bunny
Speaking of AtmosFX.com and unique bunnies, the 2017 introduction of the Hoppy Easter Digital Decoration looks to be an Easter classic. Hoppy the Rabbit is playful, charming and and exquisitely rendered, just as you should expect. But here's what's unexpected: you can make Hoppy appear just about anywhere you want —on your walls, your TV, your windows, even in what appears to be thin air.
The Most Overlooked Bunny
When you first look at Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the resemblance is so striking there is only one logical conclusion: He and Mickey Mouse must have the same father. In a way, they do. Walt Disney (with Ub Iwerks) created Oswald Rabbit in 1927 and featured the hare in 27 one-reel films.
In 1928, Disney lost the rights to the character to Universal Studios. Oswald continued to star in one-reelers with Universal over the next decade then appearing in comic books and elsewhere after that. However, Oswald never quite earned the notoriety that his lookalike did. As we all know, the character Walt Disney created to replace Oswald became the most easily recognized cartoon character in the universe.
Got better bunny ideas? Hop into the discussion below and describe them!
