Here Comes Peter Cottontail is the Holiday Inn of Rankin/Bass outings, managing to fit several special occasions into one hour thanks to a time travel story that sends its titular bunny on a quest to save Easter. To do this, he must win a contest to deliver the most eggs, but alas, he sleeps through the big day, losing the contest to the villainous Irontail, and now he’s desperately attempting to do the job on other holidays to make up for it.

After finally getting rid of all his eggs on St. Patrick’s Day, Peter Cottontail goes back home to proclaim himself the victor. Finally, he’s earned the title of Easter Bunny, so Irontail is forced to pack (I guess?) and ends up becoming a sanitation worker. Also, there’s a funny French pilot caterpillar who I somehow haven’t mentioned once during all of these headers despite him being a pretty major character. He becomes a butterfly. Everyone is happy. Even Irontail is happy, since he is seen at the very end with everyone wishing the audience a happy Easter.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail premiered in 1971. It is one of only three Easter specials Rankin/Bass ever produced (the others being The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town and The First Easter Rabbit, and you might recall that I’ve done headers on both), and probably the most popular, although it is more or less something of a cult classic these days. It also inspired a “sequel” that was released on DVD decades later (and hey, I’ve also done a header on that!), which involved Peter’s son being a fuckup who nearly caused seasonal Armageddon because he was such a fuckup.

Anyway, that ends Peter’s journey for now. But I’m sure he’ll be back someday. After all, I never did a header on whatever the hell this image is…

Hoppy Easter, y’all!