Why is a bunny part of Easter?

Does anyone here know how a bunny that hides eggs even became part of Easter? First pf all, why a rabbit, and second, why eggs? Shouldn't a rabbit hide, say, carrots?

I suppose the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus probably came into existence in a similar way, huh? Anuway, does anyone know how either of these characters came into being?

Here is what I understand is the origin of the Easter Bunny etc...

Easter was celebrated in the pre-Christian era as a celebration or festival to Eostre (the goddess of fertility, goddess of the morning,sun or goddess of the dawn). People would celebrate spring in association with fertility and because rabbits were a symbol of fertility then that became a part of the Easter pagan celebration because they would celebrate fertility and their goddes Eostre. Today, the custom of the rabbit with the eggs and the hunt and everything else is in conjunction with the celebration of Passover which is sickening!

I agree!

We are to celebrate that God the Father gave us Christ, His Son, and through Him we have forgiveness of our sins that would keep us from living with God forever. We are to celebrate that.

Everything we do in that celebration needs to be related to Christ. God gave us a blow by blow way to do this when He told us to always celebrate Passover in a certain way. God freed His people from slavery in Egypt. It was an illustration of freeing us from bondage of sin. We are freed though forgiveness of our sin through Christ. We can use lamb, symbol of the lamb of God that is Christ, even use wine for our toasts, symbol of celebration. But things like rabbits and eggs don't relate to the heart of our celebration.

Passover relates to Christ's freeing us. Eggs, ham and bunnies do not.

Thanks RedTent! I am expecting some negative posts from people, but good to get a positive one right off the bat. God Bless...