When did Easter become Christmas?

[jrmasm]

Just like Christmas, Easter has become a holiday non Christian and non religious Christians celebrate with food and gifts. I don't understand the appeal of holidays for people who don't believe in what they stand for. Dd got an assortment of stuff that cost about $20.

Where does the Bible discuss Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Where does the Bible discuss Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?

This.

 

[3Gsandme]

Then just celebrate winter and spring.

No thanks. I'm happy with my family's secular celebrations on traditionally religious holidays.

 

[aprilgail2]

Just like Christmas, Easter has become a holiday non Christian and non religious Christians celebrate with food and gifts. I don't understand the appeal of holidays for people who don't believe in what they stand for.

Dd got an assortment of stuff that cost about $20.

We celebrate Santa Claus, goodwill towards fellow people and the easter bunny- no religion in our celebrations.

 

[tcufrog]

I am an Atheist and we celebrate Christmas and Easter as part of cultural heritage. We also celebrate Diwali as part of my dh's heritage even though he's Agnostic.

The Easter Bunny was cheap at our house. DS 3 got in his stuffed giraffe basket a stuffed lamb and two plastic digging toys from the dollar store. DS 7 got in his stuffed dinosaur basket a joke book, a Minecraft keychain and a 73 piece Lego set. Both got a chocolate bunny and a cardboard egg stuffed with jellybeans and Cadbury cream eggs.

Both were very happy with what they got and there were no complaints about not getting enough.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

Amen. We keep it sime. I hate seeing the pics on social media of all the gifts.

 

[Hillbeans]

I refuse to let Easter become like Christmas! It was bad enough when someone was saying that they have to do this whole production for St. Patrick's Day and hide Gold Coins around the house from the "Leprechaun".

I spent maybe $55 total on both kids, bought some candy, $15 iTunes GC for each and some Dollar Store trinkets. It only gets like this if everyone buys into the hype and today for us was about Church and Dinner with the family.

 

[dakcp2001]

Where does the Bible discuss Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?

 

[goofinoff]

I usually do the same thing in my kids Easter baskets. Always new toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, a book, movie and of course a chocolate bunny. This year I added in a couple of things I had left out of their stockings at Christmas! (Oops!). We hide eggs with kisses and mini Reese's cups.

 

[Poohforyou]

Where does the Bible discuss Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?

Again, then celebrate Santa and the bunny. If all a person is doing is having a special meal and exchanging gifts they aren't really celebrating Christmas and Easter. If a person isn't religious why would he want to celebrate a religious holiday?

 

[Sorsha]

My kids are getting older, so they definitely don't get as much stuff as they used to. DD19 didn't get a "basket" at all, just a goodie bag for her to share with her roommate with some Reese's Pieces (the ones in the carrot-shaped bag), some Easter M&Ms, and couple of boxes of Pocky (one of their favorite treats).

The smaller kids are still reusing baskets I got probably close to 10 years ago. I buy new grass every year, but I even reuse the silly plastic eggs. This year they each got a chocolate bunny, a couple of marshmallow "eggs" and then the plastic eggs were filled with things like M&Ms and Robin Eggs. They got some stickers and temporary tattoos, and DD13 got nail polish, and DD11 got new earrings. That's all she wrote.

I would have probably bought them each a movie, but we already bought the movies they wanted (Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, and the second Hunger Games) when they came out earlier in the month. They are too old for the bubbles and sidewalk chalk set.

 

[Sorsha]

Because they're super fun? What's not to get? Even atheists like presents.

Also we enjoy the time spent with family! We get a day off work, we enjoy a meal together, we have fun hunting eggs with the little ones... nothing says I can't do these things because I am a humanist.

Also, as I always say to people about just about any holiday... do your research. Usually 50% or more of the traditions and observances of any "Christian" holiday were usurped from an earlier pagan religion or 3. Christians didn't invent eggs and bunnies-bearing-gifts, by any stretch of the imagination. So I get to play along too!

 

[3Gsandme]

Again, then celebrate Santa and the bunny. If all a person is doing is having a special meal and exchanging gifts they aren't really celebrating Christmas and Easter. If a person isn't religious why would he want to celebrate a religious holiday?

I already answered.

Of course I'm celebrating Christmas. I'm not celebrating your Christmas. My family celebrated Christmas. My husband's family celebrated Christmas. I put up my Grandmother's nativity every year. I have an angel on the top of my tree as well as child copies of the nativity story. The entire Christmas season is special, to us. We have traditions and memories and doodads. We just don't go to church or recognize it as the birth of Christ. Plenty of professed Christians don't go to church so we're not that different. Shoot, I even wish people a Merry Christmas.

For many people, even agnostics and atheists, the holiday seasons are still meaningful to us based on tradition and we enjoy celebrating.

I don't get why this is hard.

 

[Burnedout]

Lol, considering how much pagan is involved with Christmas and Easter I wouldn't call either purely religious.

If people want to give gifts all the more power to them. It has never affected what we do. I'm 53 and I got a dawn doll one year in my Easter basket. A gift for Easter obviously isn't a new thing.

My kids got candy alone this year for the first time ever. Not even any trail mix because I've been busy. I don't get putting a toothbrush in an Easter basket, myself. We gave our kids the necessities without pretending they were gifts. And how many on the thread are all about how others should be ashamed for giving gifts and them listing the gifts they gave as reasonable. Funny!

 

[kidshop]

I already answered.

Of course I'm celebrating Christmas. I'm not celebrating your Christmas. My family celebrated Christmas. My husband's family celebrated Christmas. I put up my Grandmother's nativity every year. I have an angel on the top of my tree as well as child copies of the nativity story. The entire Christmas season is special, to us. We have traditions and memories and doodads. We just don't go to church or recognize it as the birth of Christ. Plenty of professed Christians don't go to church so we're not that different. Shoot, I even wish people a Merry Christmas.

For many people, even agnostics and atheists, the holiday seasons are still meaningful to us based on tradition and we enjoy celebrating.

I don't get why this is hard.

Doesn't the nativity story and scene depict the birth of Christ you say don't recognize? That is what is confusing to me. I get going along with the commercialized secular aspects of Christmas/Easter. I not a big church fan, but I am a fan of Jesus.

 

[3Gsandme]

Doesn't the nativity story and scene depict the birth of Christ you say don't recognize? That is what is confusing to me. I get going along with the commercialized secular aspects of Christmas/Easter. I not a big church fan, but I am a fan of Jesus.

I don't want to say too much and be offensive. To me, it's a nice story and I'll leave it at that.

 

[FLSarah]

Also, as I always say to people about just about any holiday... do your research. Usually 50% or more of the traditions and observances of any "Christian" holiday were usurped from an earlier pagan religion or 3.

Of course I'm celebrating Christmas. I'm not celebrating your Christmas.

Totally agree! Who says I have to believe it's Jesus' birthday in order to celebrate Christmas the "correct" way?

OP - A friend of mine posted a pic (of course) of the Coach purse she got her preteen daughter for Easter. I don't know purses/fashion but someone had previously told me they're several hundred dollars. I really had no idea that people spent that much money on Easter. I don't care what anyone spends; celebrate however you want. But I hate when I see parents trying to one up each other or when they're trying to get the "you're such a good parent" reactions from other people.

 

[jrmasm]

Again, then celebrate Santa and the bunny. If all a person is doing is having a special meal and exchanging gifts they aren't really celebrating Christmas and Easter. If a person isn't religious why would he want to celebrate a religious holiday?

I don't even know what this means.

So again, what does the Easter Bunny have to do with Christianity?

 

[LoserMomma]

My son has food allergies (including an allergy to chocolate) so we tend to do more things than candy. Pretty much every holiday is challenging when you have a food allergic child.

That said, the kids each got a book, a new Disney Infinity character and a movie. Not a ton....and we went to mass...which is the real meaning of the day in our house.

 

[taymaesmom]

I grew up with elaborate Easter baskets, even back then my mom spent at least $100 each on us.

With my girls I do the same, when they were little it was loaded with spring/outdoor toys, pool supplies etc. Now that they are teens they get clothes, music, movies, etc. I also buy TONS of candy and fill both their baskets and about 50 or more plastic eggs with candy and money. I do reuse the same basket each year but thats more for tradition than anything else.

I however am not a mom who buys my kids something for no reason, if they want it they buy it themselves or they work for it. My youngest wanted a $400 camera last year, she mowed yards all summer to earn it and because she worked for it takes care of it. So on Easter, Christmas, Birthdays I go all out with gifts, its one of the few times I do.