Has Easter always been a huge holiday than ever before?

[DodgerGirl]

This year i've noticed that Easter is becoming huge and I have never seen Easter become so promoted as it is this year. Is it because next to Christmas Easter is the most popular holiday for people to buy stuff like toys and other things to put in Easter baskets? The way I see it I think Easter has become like Christmas and you can notice it when the malls put Easter Bunny photos like they do for Santa photos at Christmas and also if you look in the Easter aisles of stores you see less Easter candy and it's mostly toys like Easter bunny plushies and toys that are referred to as Easter basket stuffers like stocking stuffers at Christmas. I remember as a little girl when Easter candy was big to put in Easter baskets and toys were rarely put in Easter baskets but now you see toys such as plushies based on Disney or Marvel or DC superheroes being put in Easter baskets today. And all this tells me that this is the new image of Easter

 

[White Cat]

Easter used to be much bigger and more important. It’s the most important holiday for Christians. Now it seems like it’s turned into the day of the rabbit.

 

[QueenIsabella]

To religious people, Easter is a much bigger deal than Christmas. Think about it. it has nothing to do with buying gifts or eating chocolate. That said, marketers will glom on to just about anything to sell merchandise. Look at Memorial Day, or St. Patrick's Day--sure, there were celebrations, but it's only been fairly recently that you could get t-shirts or hair accessories to go with whatever holiday is being hawked.

I've said before--if you aren't interested in the more material side of a holiday, then don't choose to participate.

 

[OKW8297]

I know what Easter means to me and that’s all I care about.

 

[goofyernmost]

Easter always, at least for the last 50+ years as been the second largest retail sales holiday of the year.

It depends on individual family's concerning how much "bling" has been involved. Since I was born 75 years ago, Easter was primarily a religious holiday, but always had the disconnected idea of an Easter Bunny, Chocolate creations and hard boiled colored eggs.

For our family there never was any gift buying (like Christmas), just a lot of time spent in church and OD ing on chocolate and eggs. After being discharged from the service my first job was managing a chain retail store. That was the first time I was aware that Easter was really a gift-appaloosa so, as I said has been that way for over half a century. Nothing new at all. Perhaps the recent push for everyone to have the same beliefs has prompted a little more exposure but that would be it.

 

[NJlauren]

I am not Christian, so Easter isn’t my holiday. So maybe take this with a grain of salt, but it got that big around here at least 10 years ago. Maybe longer, but it s been like this since I had kids and a bit before. Full aisle in target, people going over board on Easter gifts, bunny photos, egg hunts (everywhere), brunch 2/3 weeks early with the Easter bunny. My husband is Christian and he has some family members that when they post pictures it’s like Christmas morning there is so much stuff!

We do a small basket(since my husband celebrates we participate), maybe $25-30 for each kid, some chocolate, this year a bath bomb or 2, and a tooth brush, no idea why that started but they always get a tooth brush.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I easily separate the religious from the traditions & personally have no issue with the two coexisting, the only being I need to prove anything to is not down here so dyed eggs & chocolate it is!

Easter was always a very important holiday, it was the time when I got the new dress and shoes I would have for fancy family events all year and stores knew it and would be full of fresh new things. Grocery stores knew it and they would have all the Easter stuff just like at Thanksgiving. Sometime in the late 90s the retailers stopped providing the stuff I wanted so I just recycled year after year, the money they missed out on by not making things is just ridiculous. I still did as I pleased but it took more effort so I purchased less. I was thrilled to see more Easter decorations this year and picked up all new spring tablecloths and all.

Fingers crossed the stores remember there is money to be made an pick up by providing better decorations for Halloween too, last year it was annoying how tough it was to find sparkly orange lights.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, I've noticed it too. Growing up, Easter was more of a religious observence. It's actually a bigger deal than Christmas to Christians - I grew up Catholic - but the celebration was more subdued. We had Easter baskets and some candy, and a big meal, but that was it. Today it does seem to be more marketed, and kids get like bigger presents and such. My basket might have had a squirt gun or small toy in it, but it was mostly just candy. It has definitely become more commercialized - not so much as Christmas but it's getting there.

 

[ronandannette]

Easter is huge in its significance to us; we celebrate with solemnity and great joy. But it’s never been a gift buying/giving occasion. Just as with Christmas, we aren’t bothered by what anyone else does.

It does make me curious though, since everything is becoming more commercialized (check out the “seasonal” aisles in WalMart), when the secular population is going to get on-board with gifts and decorations and whatnot for Eid, Diwali, the Jewish high holy days and so on?

 

[MamaMermaid]

Easter was always big in my house. I was raised Catholic. We did a big dinner, church, baskets, etc. It was not as big as Christmas but certainly a day I looked forward to.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Being a Catholic, although lapsed, I'm immersed in the meaning of Easter and its traditions, but the commercial side of the holiday has always been separate for me. Personally, in our household we don't do candy-we have the weird kid who hates candy of all kinds. So we give him small toys, matchbox cars and dinosaurs and the like.

 

[Smugpugmug]

When I worked retail, Easter was one of the biggest holidays in terms of merchandise and food (the other ones being Christmas and Halloween). It was all eggs, bunnies, candy and general "spring" stuff. Absolutely none of it had to do with the actual holiday (i.e. religion). I'm currently staying at my sister's place in Florida and EVERY restaurant around here is advertising some sort of Easter brunch.

I did not grow up religious but my sister and I did egg painting growing up. I've never heard of getting a gift similar to Christmas on Easter though. We received chocolate bunnies and that was about it. Now I don't celebrate at all and it's just another day for me except that I need to remember to grocery shop on saturday as the stores will be closed Easter sunday.

 

[sam_gordon]

It does make me curious though, since everything is becoming more commercialized (check out the “seasonal” aisles in WalMart), when the secular population is going to get on-board with gifts and decorations and whatnot for Eid, Diwali, the Jewish high holy days and so on?

I'm not sure if you were being serious or not, but my serious answer... they won't. First, there's not enough money in it for the stores and manufacturers. Second, and I'm trying to phrase this carefully, there is a definite "favoritism" when it comes to religious beliefs (note: I did not say 'religion') in this country.

If I say any more, I'll definitely get points, so I'm going to stop there.

 

[_19disnA]

I haven't noticed that Easter is any larger/smaller of a holiday then in any prior years.

 

[BrianL]

Easter is huge in its significance to us; we celebrate with solemnity and great joy. But it’s never been a gift buying/giving occasion. Just as with Christmas, we aren’t bothered by what anyone else does.

It does make me curious though, since everything is becoming more commercialized (check out the “seasonal” aisles in WalMart), when the secular population is going to get on-board with gifts and decorations and whatnot for Eid, Diwali, the Jewish high holy days and so on?

Oh, believe me, if retailers could figure out how to get people on board with it, they would!

 

[Mysterian]

What I have noticed is Grogu shows up in merchandise for Christmas, Valentine's, Halloween, Easter, you name it. He is everywhere. Soon there will be "Baby Yoda on the Sofa" in answer to the shelf elves.

 

[Mysterian]

He is everywhere.

See?

 

[Mysterian]

Easter is huge in its significance to us; we celebrate with solemnity and great joy. But it’s never been a gift buying/giving occasion. Just as with Christmas, we aren’t bothered by what anyone else does.

It does make me curious though, since everything is becoming more commercialized (check out the “seasonal” aisles in WalMart), when the secular population is going to get on-board with gifts and decorations and whatnot for Eid, Diwali, the Jewish high holy days and so on?

There's the pagans too, but a Wickerman is just too much trouble, and Lowe's sold out already.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I haven't noticed that Easter is any larger/smaller of a holiday then in any prior years.

Me either. We've always had Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts and the like.

There are some new things. It was inevitable once Halloween and Christmas blow ups became big that Easter would get em too. But it hasn't become all that much more or less commercial than it has always been.

Complaining about Christmas or Easter or other holidays being commercial in a society that is itself based on commerce is rather ironic.

It does make me curious though, since everything is becoming more commercialized (check out the “seasonal” aisles in WalMart), when the secular population is going to get on-board with gifts and decorations and whatnot for Eid, Diwali, the Jewish high holy days and so on?

Already done. How bout a nice Matzah Ball for Passover?

Get yourself some Diwali fountains today!!!

How bout these for Dia de Los Muertos?

And don't forget.

Wayfair you have just what I need. Yard Blow ups!!!

 

[Babs Johnson]

The Easter Bunny has always been deranged.