Easter Egg (1698?) & Easter Bunny (1877?)

[Mark A Mandel]

On Tue, 16 Apr 2002 Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

#   This book is also useful for "Easter egg," which probably deserves
#a place in the OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD.

#Pg. 13:  ...it being an ancient Custom in Russia to present one
#another not only on _Easter_-day, but for 14 days after, with painted
#Eggs, of which you see great Quantities ready boil'd, to be sold on
#all the Corners of the Streets, no body, of what Quality, Degree, Age
#or Sex, daring to refuse either the Eggs or the Kiss, which is always
#given as you present the Eggs. (OED has 1804 for "Easter egg," and
#that source is also a Russian journal.  This doesn't state exactly
#"Easter egg," but clearly describes the "ancient custom," over a
#century earlier in 1698--ed.)

Yes, but the *lexon* isn't in the quote, which AFAI can tell makes it
irrelevant lexicographically, however informative it is w.r.t. the
custom. (Disclaimer: I Am Not A Lexicographer. I welcome edification
from the many list members who are.) Likewise for the rest of the item,
below.

#---------------------------------------------------------------
#EASTER BUNNY
#
#   I was shocked when I found that "Easter Bunny" is in the OED from
#only 1909.  The MOA-Mich. database wasn't working well today, but
#that, MOA-Cornell, LOC's American Memory, Harper's Weekly, OCLC
#WorldCat didn't help me find an earlier Easter Bunny!
#   This, however, is from HARPER'S WEEKLY, 20 October 1877:
#
#   On the Saxon mountains, too, it is said that the Easter hare brings
#the Easter eggs.

-- Mark A. Mandel
   Linguist at Large