It is the culmination of the religious season of Lent and the day on which Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

這是四旬期宗教季節的高潮，也是基督徒慶祝耶穌復活的日子。

In addition to its religious importance, Easter is also a popular secular holiday,

除了其宗教重要性，復活節也是一個受歡迎的世俗節日。

thanks to its association with the Easter bunny, colorful decorated eggs, and, of course, all that candy.

這都多虧了它與復活節兔子、彩蛋還有各種糖果之間的關聯。

The first recorded celebration of Easter was back in the 2nd century, but it probably goes back even further than that.

初次有復活節相關慶祝活動的紀錄要回溯到第二世紀，但它可能出現得更早。

According to one popular theory, early Christians adopted Easter from a pagan festival celebrating Eostra, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility.

根據一盛行理論指出，早期基督徒從慶祝春季和生育之神艾斯特拉（Eostra）的異教徒節日中採納了復活節。

The goddess consorted with the hare, which, as the theory goes, was the original inspiration for today's Easter bunny.

該女神和野兔交配，而根據這一理論，這是今日復活節兔子的原始靈感。

But it appears that little evidence exists to support the story.

但似乎沒有什麼證據可以支持這個故事。

So, where did the Easter bunny actually come from?

那麼，復活節兔子究竟是從哪裡來的呢？

Rabbits are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life, two ideas strongly associated with spring and with Easter.

兔子是一個古老的生育和新生命象徵，而這兩個想法都與春天和復活節密切相關。

The connection between rabbits and Easter arose in Protestant Europe in the 17th century,

兔子和復活節之間的聯繫產生於 17 世紀的新教歐洲，

and was probably brought to America a century later by German immigrants.

並可能在一個世紀後由德國移民引入美國。

But we bet you didn't know that the Easter bunny isn't the only animal associated with the holiday.

但我們打賭你不知道，復活節兔子並不是唯一與這個節日有關的動物。

In Switzerland, a cuckoo delivers the Easter eggs, while in different parts of Germany, kids wait for the Easter fox, chick, rooster, or stork.

在瑞士，布穀鳥會送來復活節彩蛋，而在德國不同地區的孩子們則會等待復活節狐狸、母雞、公雞或鸛。

Though eggs also symbolize fertility and renewal, they may have become popular on Easter for a more practical reason.

雖然雞蛋也象徵繁殖力和重生，它們更可能因為實際原因在復活節大受歡迎。

For centuries, the Christian church banned eggs, along with other foods, during lent, and it became a special treat to eat them again at Easter.

數世紀以來，基督教堂都在齋戒期禁止雞蛋與其它食物，它們進而成為復活節可再次食用的特別點心。

Decorating eggs is one of the oldest Easter customs.

裝飾彩蛋是最古老的復活節習俗之一。

One of history's most lavish Easter traditions developed in late-19th-century Russia,

史上最華麗的復活節傳統之一是在 19 世紀晚期的俄羅斯發展而來，

when royalty and other members of high society began giving each other jewel-encrusted eggs as Easter gifts.

當時皇族和上流社會人士會開始彼此贈送以珠寶裝飾的蛋為復活節禮物。

The man behind these insanely valuable eggs was the artist/jeweler/goldsmith, Peter Carl Fabergé,

這些價值連城彩蛋背後的推手是藝術家兼珠寶商兼金匠 Peter Carl Fabergé，

who was commissioned by Czar Alexander III to create jeweled Easter eggs for his wife

他受沙皇亞歷山大三世的委託，為他妻子製作珠寶鑲嵌的復活節彩蛋。

For most Americans, however, Easter is about the sweet stuff, candy.

然而，對多數美國人而言，復活節的重點是甜美的糖果。

US candy makers produce some 90 million chocolate bunnies and 16 billion jellybeans for Easter each year.

美國糖果製造商每年復活節都會生產約 9 千萬隻復活節巧克力兔以及 160 億顆雷根糖。

Jellybeans were invented in the 17th century,

雷根糖是在 17 世紀時發明的，

but they only became an Easter candy in the 1930s after merchants pointed out how much they look like eggs.

但它們們直到 1930 年代商人點出其形狀有多像蛋之後，才成為復活節糖果。

Today, more candy is sold for Easter than any other holiday, except for Halloween.

在今日，除了萬聖節以外，復活節銷售的糖果量比任何其它節慶都還多。

And more than 88% of American parents prepare Easter baskets for their kids.

超過 88% 的美國父母也會為孩子們準備復活節禮物籃。

From its powerful religious significance to its popular customs, Easter ranks among our most widely celebrated holidays.

從它強大的宗教象徵到流行的習俗，復活節名列我們最廣泛慶祝的節日。

This spring, sweeten up your celebration with a little history and some fun Easter facts we bet you didn't know.

今年春天，為這個甜美慶典加點歷史氣息以及一些你一定不知道的復活節小知識吧！