In the year AD 312, Emperor Constantine had a vision, seeing the cross of Christ superimposed on the sun, with the words, “in hoc signo vinces” = "in this sign you shall conquer." He attributed a battle victory to this vision, and he became a strong champion of Christianity. The next year, he met with Emperor Licinius, the ruler of the eastern provinces, to sign the Edict of Milan giving equal rights to all religious groups within the Roman Empire. Constantine blended Christian and pagan traditions by combining two pagan rituals (Saturn the god of Agriculture and Mithras the Persian god of light). Constantine merged many of the traditions from these festivals with the Nativity story in the Bible and Christmas was born. From its beginning, Christmas was a holiday (or holy day), gifts were exchanged, families and friends gathered to feast, and a birth was celebrated; just like in the Roman and Persian festivities. The first mention of December 25 as the date of Jesus' birth is found in an early Roman calendar from A.D. 336.
Easter is is Chaldean (Babylonian) in origin - the name Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven. Astarte is the Greek name of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. The worship of Bel and Astarte was introduced very early into Britain, along with the Druids, "the priests of the groves," the high places where the pagans worshipped the idols of Baal.
The Easter Bunny, the oldest pagan symbol of fertility - Semiramis - has absolutely NOTHING to do with the resurrection of Christ, nor does the Sunrise service. Jesus was resurrected while it was still DARK. John 20:1 (KJV) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
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