Every year, in the United States alone, 91.4 billion eggs, 16 million jellybeans, and 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced. That’s enough jellybeans to circle the Earth 10 times over, and it is a wonderful way to celebrate a festival of fertility and the Earth coming back to life. As a minor fun fact about Easter – 76% of people eat chocolate bunny’s ears first. It is the second biggest holiday for eating candy, beaten to that title only by Halloween.

The date of Easter moves around because it is fixed on the date of the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. This ties it firmly into the springtime, helping to fix this festival with the springtime, and the fertility which returns at this time each year. To Christians, this marks the time that Jesus died and was returned to life. To pagans, it is the gradual return to life of the Earth after the long death of winter.

Eggs have been a symbol of new life across civilizations for centuries. Of course, the fun part of Easter celebrations tends to be that the eggs are made from chocolate. The largest Easter egg ever made was around 9,000 pounds and required a steel frame for internal support.

The Easter bunny was originally Ostara’s hare, the hare being the creature most closely associated with Ostara in the traditions she comes from. The hare is also a symbol of the springtime, given that they are rarely seen in the winter, and that they are very visible during their mating season when the males ‘box’.

There are several games involving eggs which take place at this time of year. One of the oldest is ‘egg throwing’, which was held in church and involved throwing an egg between the members of the choir, with whoever was holding the egg when the clock struck 12 being the winner and getting to keep the egg.
There you have it. A number of amazing fun facts about Easter! Whatever faith you happen to be, I hope you have fun this springtime, and enjoy the chocolate!