Is Easter the new Christmas?

[ChrisnSteph]

I agree it's gotten way out of hand. We didn't even do baskets this year or hunt for eggs. We did color eggs though.

 

[CEDmom]

Growing up we used to get an obscene amount of candy. We'd still be eating it in July. Since DH and I don't want our DD to have that much candy she gets a few jelly bean filled eggs and then stuff like sidewalk chalk, a little purse (from Target's dollar spot), a new jump rope etc in her basket. If I spent $10 I'd be surprised.

I just realized that last year the Easter Bunny brought DD a new bike. Oh well, add we to the list of over indulgent parents.

 

[MzDiz]

Ok seriously, why do you care what other people do? For some people (not us) it's an excuse to buy new spring toys. Bikes, scooters, swing sets etc. For others its more low key. Stick with your own traditions and quit judging what's in other people's shopping carts.

I personally believe it has a lot to do with advertisers telling us what we need, then us believing that's what everyone else is doing. I was speaking more to the national trend that I've seen, as opposed to individual family traditions. The rude tone of your post was unnecessary. You could have easily passed over my post, or respectfully disagreed with me.

 

[cardaway]

Nah, Halloween is still the new Christmas. If Disney doesn't have a hard ticket evening event themed around it, it's a second tier holiday.

 

[jrmasm]

I personally believe it has a lot to do with advertisers telling us what we need, then us believing that's what everyone else is doing. I was speaking more to the national trend that I've seen, as opposed to individual family traditions. The rude tone of your post was unnecessary. You could have easily passed over my post, or respectfully disagreed with me.

What are you the post police in addition to the shopping cart police?

You could have easily ignored other people's shopping habits.

 

[Cindy B]

Nah, Halloween is still the new Christmas. If Disney doesn't have a hard ticket evening event themed around it, it's a second tier holiday.

Don't give them ideas--- Spring Fling Nights or something like that!

 

[CEDmom]

I personally believe it has a lot to do with advertisers telling us what we need, then us believing that's what everyone else is doing. I was speaking more to the national trend that I've seen, as opposed to individual family traditions. The rude tone of your post was unnecessary. You could have easily passed over my post, or respectfully disagreed with me.

Personally what advertisers try to tell me or what I believe other people are doing doesn't factor into my decision making process. There are people that would think my DD is so deprived because she doesn't have 1/2 the stuff their kids do. She's happy and not wanting so that's all I care about.

Last year DD got a big gift ( a new bike) because she needed one and we thought it would be fun to have it come from the Easter Bunny. This year she got presents about 1/10 the value (because she didn't need anything big) and it doesn't phase her in the least.

 

[S. C.]

I would rather buy a small toy for the easter baskets then a stuffed animal. The grandkids would rather play with a truck/car (boys) and grandaughter would rather have a small doll. stuffed animals are played with for a few minutes then put in the toy box to never be seen again.

 

[MzDiz]

What are you the post police in addition to the shopping cart police?

You could have easily ignored other people's shopping habits.

Did I do something to you that I'm not aware of, or are you just having a bad day? Settle down, ok?

 

[cardaway]

Don't give them ideas--- Spring Fling Nights or something like that!

That's a good idea. A night where only the cirtter characters are out doing what they do in Spring.

 

[mommasita]

Did I do something to you that I'm not aware of, or are you just having a bad day? Settle down, ok?

Don't sweat it...Some people don't get the fact this is an OPEN forum..You never put other people down, it was a simple question.

 

[Kath2003]

People keep asking me whether I've had a nice Easter - it's like any other Sunday, except I'm bored because everything is closed (stupid Easter Sunday trading laws - expect that to change in the next few years!). I got an Easter Egg from my folks, and we got them one - but since it was 3 eggs for $6 and my folks have 3 kids, that's $2 each. I don't mind spending $2 on candy.

I'm not having a special lunch, despite everyone asking. No, I didn't get dressed up. No, I didn't do an Easter Egg hunt (the Easter Bunny doesn't really exist in the UK). I don't know anyone who's ever done these things

Christmas is SO much better.

The UK calendar looks like this:

January: New Year aka a chance to get drunk
February: Valentines - not really taken seriously by anyone, I gave a card to my boyfriend but that's it
March/April: Easter - the odd chocolate egg
May/June/July/August/September/October: Nothing
November: Fireworks night
December: Christmas

Sounds like Hallmark haven't invaded here just yet!

 

[chager]

We don't really do "big gift" Easter. One year we did get DS a bean bag chair, so we made it into the hidden basket! Usually we get him something he needs to put in his basket. This year he us 12 and understood the baseball gear we helped purchase (he spent mostly his money) would be part of his Easter gift. He was more excited about seeing the church play then anything else!

 

[ChrisLei]

Easter is definitely not as big as Christmas in our house. I do get the kids a basket. And after seeing the $25 easter baskets sold at the store filled with paper and seventy five cents worth of Candy and About $4 worth of useless toys, I forgo the prepackaged ones and make my own.

This year each basket held a pair of summer sandals, a cute little outfit, one chocolate Easter Bunny each and a $10 toy. Grand total for each basket...$35.

MIL on the other hand goes all out. She purchased $70 worth of American Girl items for DD, an outfit, toys, candy and money. DS got the equivilent. Secretly I think she wants hers to outshine ours.....but I digress.

 

[ducklite]

What is with all the gift buying for Easter? I've never heard of this until this year, and it seems like I can't escape it. When I was growing up, Easter meant sitting WAY too long in church, hunting for eggs when we got home, getting a small basket of candy with maybe a stuffed bunny in it, then dinner with family.
Now I'm seeing commercials and signs in stores about Easter gifts? We went to pick out a small toy for DD8's basket and found shelves picked clean and people with carts overflowing with toys. It looked like December 23rd in there!
What's next? Arbor Day presents? Do we really need another family holiday turned into a consumerism field day?

Ok, rant over.

I couldn't agree more. When DS was young he would get a basket with a couple of *small* toys--Matchbox cars or something along those lines, and a little bit of candy, and of course some colored eggs. We stopped the basket when he was early in his teens. It just seemed to take away from teh meaning of the holiday. I buy him some Jelly Belly's each year now because he enjoys them. DH gets a small package of Peeps.

Anne

 

[RickinNYC]

Y'know, growing up, we never really got anything. Mom would recycle the Easter basket and throw a couple of things in it, nothing major. Thats' about it aside from egg hunting.

But strangly, now that I'm a middle aged man, I think my mom has flipped her lid. Joe and I went home last year or the year before, can't remember, and Mom bestowed each of us with these massive towering three foot hight baskets packed with candy and these huge crazed looking rabid like stuffed creature things inside. They looked like they were just about to claw their way out of their cellophane wrapped pastel prison, ready to attack in maniacal glee, while chucking those hard egg like things at small children.

Now, she did snicker when she gave them to both of us and cackled when she said, "Happy Easter! Take pictures of them with you on the subway going home!"

Sure enough, we did have to take them on the subway after we got off Amtrak later that day. Joe said, "I think your Mom wants to get us beat up."

Happy Easter everyone!

 

[ducklite]

What are you the post police in addition to the shopping cart police?

You could have easily ignored other people's shopping habits.

That seems a little unneccesary... it was an observation, and a valid one IMHO.

Anne

 

[Jen_in_NH]

It did seem really big this year - trying to get into the Toys R Us parking lot on Friday was crazy! ( I was picking up last minute baby stuff - should have thought about when I went ) When I was a kid, we got a new outfit from our grandparents, a small toy from our parents, and some candy my Mom made.

Being the nice Aunt, I got water balloons for my husbands' neice and nephew for their baskets this year

Jen

 

[MzDiz]

Joe said, "I think your Mom wants to get us beat up."

Two gay men on a subway hanging out with a couple clones of that bunny thing from Donnie Darko? Would anyone even notice in New York?

 

[ducklite]

Two gay men on a subway hanging out with a couple clones of that bunny thing from Donnie Darko? Would anyone even notice in New York?

Nah. I saw the Easter Bunny driving a cab a few years ago.

Anne