After families of German Christians started moving to the US in the late 17th century, they took with them the tradition and popularized the Easter bunny around the world.
Did you know that rabbit is not the only animal associated with Easter?
不过，兔子也不是复活节的唯一“吉祥物”。
In Switzerland, it’s not the Easter bunny but cuckoo birds that deliver the Easter eggs. In certain parts of Germany, foxes, chicks, roosters and storks are said to be the symbolic animals of the holiday. As part of the Easter decoration, some supermarkets in Austria set up special corners filled with cute chicks running around.
在瑞士，杜鹃才是为孩子送彩蛋的使者。而在德国的不同地区，狐狸(fox)、小鸡(chick)、公鸡(rooster)、鹳(stork)取代了兔子在复活节中的角色。
作为西方一大重要节日，商家在复活节期间自然会推出一系列吸引家长和小朋友的周边产品，而复活兔更是他们的“吸金法宝”。
As happened to many religious holidays, Easter also has turned increasingly commercialized and is celebrated in secular ways. The Easter bunny, as a popular figure of the holiday, can get really busy during the season.
Every year around Easter, sales of chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and jelly beans would soar, not to mention foods like lamb and ham that are traditionally served for Easter dinner.
有着金色包装、红色丝带和可爱造型的巧克力兔相信大家并不陌生。这款巧克力最初由瑞士百年巧克力商瑞士莲设计生产，并注册造型商标。也就是说，其它公司生产模样相似的巧克力兔子是有可能被瑞士莲告的。而事实上，他们在过去也确实这么做了……
Back in 1952, Swiss chocolate maker Lindt created the iconic gold chocolate bunny with a red ribbon. After other chocolate makers started producing chocolate bunnies with similar designs, Lindt patented their chocolate bunnies and decided to go to court with other chocolatiers. Confectionary News reported back in 2013 that Lindt’s bunny was successfully registered in 15 EU member states.
