Before heading out for an Easter Egg hunt with your kids, don’t you ever wonder where this unusual tradition comes from? 

A Swiss children’s song goes:

Ig ha n em Has es Näschtli gmacht
im Bungert hinderem Garte;
es si die schönschte Blümli dra,
es si dei schönschte Blüemli dra,
die fyne und die zarte…

s het s niemer as mys Mueti gseh,
s het gseit, er wärd s scho finde,
wenn är dur s Dörfli abe göih
zu dene brave Chinde ….

(roughly translated)

I made a little nest for the hare
in the nursery behind the garden;
i’ve picked the most beautiful flowers,
i’ve picked the most beautiful flowers,
the very pretty and delicate ones…

no one else saw it aside from my mother,
she said, he will surely find it,
when he passes through town,
to come to the kindest children.

The other day, the preschooler asked me when the Oschterhäsli (“osh-ter-hasli”) will come to bring the Easter Eggs. They’ve been handcrafting nests in the playgroup in preparation for the coming of Easter, so he wanted to know when he could set out his nest like the child in the song, for the Easter Bunny to fill. I said he’ll come next week for sure, but you have to be nice! Oh sure, he nodded, and already the next question followed, but why will he bring eggs?  Why? Now I was stumped. I said, because it’s Easter! (trying to make a quick escape). But really, that made me wonder, Why indeed?

Click here to read the rest of this article on Newlyswissed Online Magazine

 

This was last year’s favorite treat, a baby bunny with a pacifier, just in time for the real Easter baby that arrived a few weeks later, our second son!

For more adorable Swiss chocolate photos, check out the gallery of Easter Chocolate Madness! 🐰