The Easter bunny is about to hippity-hop around the corner, although it's always been puzzling that a rabbit ended up accountable for delivering eggs — and chocolate ones at that.

        Legend has it a German woman who loved children always hid eggs (a symbol of spring) in her garden at Easter. As the little ones searched for eggs, a hare hopped by and took credit in the tots' minds. Subsequently, misguided German children began making nests every year for their eggs, and the little old lady never got her due.

Jolly Dolly

        No doubt, Easter baskets again will be overloaded with chocolate and blamed for tummy aches and children run amok on sugar highs. So, we hunted down non-food treats to tuck in the brightly colored grass. (Some of these are not meant for children under 3).

        • Jolly Dolly 5-inch soft-body baby in a pastel bunny suit comes in a hard-shell paper egg from Zapf Creation. $2.99 at Walgreen's, Zany Brainy, Bigg's.

        • Soak the Russ Grow-A-Basket Bunny in water and watch it grow. It slowly shrinks back to 3 inches when removed. Reusable. $1.99 at SteinMart.

        • Flip the top of the 2 1/2-inch key ring Munchin' Buddies and see two tiny bunnies and a bluebird munching on springtime treats. $5.99 at World Markets.

Munchin' Buddies

        • Soapsters are scented kid-sized glycerin soaps with 2-inch plastic Easter animals inside. $2.99 at G.Thanks mall stores.

        • Fred and Rose Hopper are miniature (3-inch) paper doll rabbits with five outfits from Kathy Lawrence Creations. $2.49/set at World Markets.

        • Untwist the tie-lock and a magic ring from Russ flashes 'til the button cell battery runs out. $3 at Hallmark, Tri-County Mall.

        • A 6-ounce Hippity Hop glass is $1.99 at World Markets.

        • New plastic bubble pens are a stamp, a pen, a light and a bubble wand, $2.50-$3 at G.Thanks mall stores and Hallmark, Tri-County Mall.

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