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I think after the spooky owl stories, phantom cars and human apparitions imagined in one of my previous watches, my thoughts last night turned to the odd rituals which mark this time called Easter.
Now whether you are of Christian, Jewish or Pagan persuasion, the word has many meanings, and the ceremony many origins, most of them from Pagan times.
As one story goes, the name is derived from Ishtar, the Goddess of love, sex and fertility.
Which would explain the bunny, I guess. And the egg.
But the poor kids.
As our more modern cultures adopted many Pagan rituals, our forefathers invented the most odd justifications and chronicles to absorb them and placate the people who practiced them. And with these hijackings came the most bizarre practices and characters.
The Christmas tree and overeating. Historians claim this derives from the pagan practice of bringing greenery indoors to decorate in midwinter. And to feast and be merry. In those agricultural societies of yore, the harvest work had been done for the year, and the darkest day, the winter solstice, was upon them. So what better to do than decorate the home and party up a storm while the blizzards are freezing the fields before the next planting?
Santa Clause. Here’s where old Odin of Norse steps in. He was a God in Pagan mythology, who sported a flowing white beard and magical powers. During the winter solstice, Odie embarked on the Wild Hunt in the sky with his 8 legged horse named Sleipner.
I kid you not.
It was said that Sleipner could leap like a reindeer, covering vast distances across the sky. The story also goes that children would leave their boots by the chimney, filled with carrots and hay to fuel the obviously exhausted Sleipnar. Then, for those thoughtful kids, and much to the irritation of Sleipnar, Odie would leave gifts at every filled boot. Eventually Sliepnar would become bloated and grounded, and no doubt stabled until the next Winter Solstice.
And finally, the Easter Bunny. If Ishtar was the goddess of sex and passed her time exhibiting rabbit-like behaviour, we know she didn’t lay eggs. And indeed, not chocolate ones. And even if she did, why did she hide them? (Perhaps by now, with the Summer solstice approaching, Sleipnar’s appetite was beginning to mount).
As a parent, I know how difficult it is to explain to young children where babies come from.
But chocolate bunnies laying and hiding chocolate eggs only once a year?
I’d rather tell them about Ishtar, her pleasures, and mom's eggs.
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