The First Easter Rabbit

The First Easter Rabbit is an animated Easter television special that premiered April 9, 1976 on NBC and later aired on CBS.[1] Created by Rankin/Bass, it tells the story of the Easter Bunny's origin. The special is loosely based on the children's book The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. Burl Ives narrated the special which also featured the song "Easter Parade;" it marked Burl Ives's return to a Rankin/Bass special for the first time since "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" twelve years prior.

Plot
Stuffy is a stuffed rabbit, given to a little girl named Glinda as a Christmas present. But when she comes down sick with scarlet fever, her old toys are thrown away to be burned in order to disinfect the playroom. Stuffy is rescued by a sprite named Calliope, who brings him to life and sends him to Easter Valley at the North Pole-where he befriends Santa Claus and three other rabbits named Spats, Flops, and Whiskers to help him with the Easter traditions. However, an ice monster named Zero and his partner Bruce the Snowball want to freeze the valley by stealing the Golden Easter Lily. In order to stop him, Stuffy must become the Easter Bunny, retrieve the Golden Lily, and save Easter.