showing children looking for eggs and bunnies The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the
earth in pre-Christian celebrations of spring. However, the
Easter egg itself was defined by early
Christians as an Easter
symbol of the
resurrection of Jesus: the egg symbol was likened to the tomb from which
Christ arose. Hen's egg has played a role in Easter since the 4th century, and the tradition of decorated eggs may have arisen in
Orthodox Christianity where eggs were stained red to signify the blood spilt by Christ. The exchange of decorated eggs is known in many European countries such as Russia, and in England gifting of such eggs is known since the Middle Ages. The specific custom of the Easter egg hunt may have its origin in Germany. Some believed the Protestant Christian Reformer
Martin Luther was the first to organize Easter egg hunts in the 16th century, when he suggested that men hide eggs in the garden for their wives and children to find. The hunt for Easter eggs in the garden, representing the garden of Christ's tomb, symbolized searching the empty tomb and the risen Jesus. The association of the
Easter Bunny with Easter eggs has been known since at least the 17th century. The German physician and botanist
Georg Franck von Franckenau wrote in 1682 the folk belief of
der Oster-Hase (Easter bunny) that laid
Hasen-Eier (hare's-eggs) hidden in gardens, grass and bushes, and children then searched for these hidden eggs in egg hunts. The tradition of Easter bunny and colored eggs was introduced into North America by migrants from southwest Germany in the 18th century. The eggs of the early period were likely hard-boiled and decorated, but artificial eggs also appeared in London in the 1850s. The first chocolate eggs were made in France and Germany in the early 19th century, and in England chocolate Easter eggs were produced by
Frys in 1873. The German origin of egg hunt was still noted in the late 19th century,
A. E. Housman in his inaugural lecture as Professor of Latin at
University College, London in 1892 said, "In Germany at Easter time they hide coloured eggs about the house and garden that the children may amuse themselves in discovering them." -aged children to find. She is careful not to make their location and retrieval too difficult. Reverend MaryJane Pierce Norton, Associate General Secretary of Leadership Ministries at the
General Board of Discipleship, states that "there's something about going to hunt the eggs just as we might go to hunt for Jesus in the tomb. And when we find them it's that joy that the women had when they reached the tomb first and found that Jesus was no longer there." Traditionally the game is associated with Easter and Easter eggs, but it has also been popular with spring time
birthday parties. Egg hunts are a subject of the
Guinness Book of World Records;
Homer, Georgia, United States was listed in 1985 with 80,000 eggs to hunt in a town of 950 people. To enable children to take part in egg hunts despite visual impairment, eggs have been created that emit various clicks, beeps, noises, or music. ==Commercial use==