If you haven't been trapped in an elevator most of your life, you may have noticed that Easter is upon us. Those who celebrate will rise early Sunday morn for church and a hunt for brightly colored eggs which may or may not contain candy. If you're young enough, a basket of goodies may be waiting for you when you wake up. But Easter is more than a sugar-coated Jesusfest, it's a holiday that could have Cupid working overtime. Let's explore the history of Easter a little further, as it pertains to relationships and romance.
Spring is the season for rebirth and fertility. After harsh winters, trees sport new leaves, flowers bloom, and we trade turtlenecks for something that bares the midriff. Nature's libido is awakened and send Bambi and Thumper out looking for a missus. Always the trendsetters, the Pagans acknowledged the surge of sexual energy by holding fertility festivals. This celebration of the season of loving was aptly called Easter, after the Anglo-Saxon "Ostra" and the Teutonic "Eastre" who were both mythological goddesses signifying spring and fertility. Festivals were held on the day of the vernal equinox. Churchmen later fixed the date of Easter on the first Sunday of the full moon after the vernal equinox. Thus the holiday is a "movable feast," much like most government holidays.
With any good celebration, there must be some sort of mascot. The rabbit was chosen for his prodigious fertility (you've heard the phrase "do it like bunnies"). He beat out other candidates including the cat, the frog, and the terracota elephant. Ancient Egyptian, Persian and Chinese civilizations used the egg as the icon of fertility and of new life. Ancient advertising executives saw potential gold mines and combined the rabbit and the eggs to create something cuddly and marketable.
There is a legend that ties all of this together. Legend has it that a gigantic bird approached the goddess Oestre with the desire to become a rabbit. Being a gigantic bird, he wasn't having much luck with the ladies. After years of watching the rabbit next door get repeated action, he decided that becoming one would be the answer to his problem. The goddess granted the bird his wish and turned him into a rabbit. To express his gratitude, he laid eggs every Spring as a ritual offering. Now, thanks to the ancient ad men, he's surrounded by more chicks than ever.
Over time, Easter has become more of a religious holiday, signifying the end of Lent, the resurrection of Christ, and Passover (which could be another celebration of our gigantic bird friend). Innocent children stand on line in malls waiting to have a picture made with the Easter Bunny and later scour grandma's back yard for chocolate-filed eggs. The only celebration of fertility these days can be seen earlier in the year thanks to Mardi Gras and during Spring Break, in some instances.
How can we get this holiday back on the track? Take a cue from the animals and use the vernal equinox as an excuse to be extra amorous with your partner. Dress up like a Playboy bunny and hold your own private egg hunt. Paint each other like Easter eggs. Spend the entire day together au naturel under newly green tree. If you missed Valentine's Day, take this opportunity to resurrect your love life. Happy Easter everybody!
