Is the Easter Bunny pagan? Probably not. It seems to have been invented by German-speaking Protestants sometime in the 1600s.
Bibliography:
Stephen Winick, “Ostara and the Hare: Not Ancient, but Not As Modern As Some Skeptics Think,” Library of Congress Blogs, April 28, 2016.
Stephen Winick, On the Bunny Trail: In Search of the Easter Bunny, Library of Congress Blogs, March 22, 2016
I can’t speak for everyone, but I was taught that the Easter Bunny brought the eggs, not laid them. The mechanics were always left vague, but I imagined kind of a large anthropomorphic rabbit. He brought decorated hard boiled eggs and hid them for us to find, and a basket of candy.
Just imagine a furry breaking into your home in the middle of the night to leave gifts.
Mommy, the bad rabbit guy touched me again…
😂🤣
There are actually lots of photos on the web of crying children sitting on the laps of unintentionally scary mall easter bunnies. :^)