when did Easter become a gift-based holiday?

[EmilyJ]

Growing up we always got a new swimsuit in our baskets, maybe a CD or whatever with it.


At our house, the Easter before the child turns 3, they get tehir first 2 wheeler. So, now they all have bikes. This year will be cheaper. maybe 25 per basket.

I dont like my kids having tons of Candy, so while there are a few Reeces Eggs in tehir baskets, the plastic eggs get filled with nickels, dimes, quarters. I dont spend more than I would on candy, and the kids LOVE to get the money!

 

[princessmom29]

I swear I remember getting a live chick dyed blue one year for Easter when I was a kid. We would get a hollow chocolate bunny, and do an easter egg hunt. Today, our son gets a new Easter outfit (which he also wears for hie yearly bday portrait) and an easter basket. Last year he got a tiny Thomas train from target and bubbles and such.

Our only "splurge" are chocolate covered fudge Easter eggs from Laura Little's- a candymaker in KC KS. We order one for each grandparent, and one which we three split. Hopefully, as he gets bigger there won't be pressure to go too crazy with the holiday.

Those dyed chicks really freak me out. They are illegal in a lot of states now too.

 

[pdy11366]

Those dyed chicks really freak me out. They are illegal in a lot of states now too.

OMG! They still do that It was the 70's when I got mine. It ended up at my aunts farm a week or 2 after Easter. I remember they had bunnies too. It was like an MFA or some other sort of farm supply store.

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

We do something a little different that may help some of you save a little. My kids leave their baskets out at night (like stockings). That way we don't have lots of extra baskets we don't need and it saves a little $ too. They leave them out and when they wake they are hidden and have to go on a scavenger hunt to find them filled. I didn't do this as a kid, but thought of it early on with my oldest because I was tired of all the baskets. So we got some really pretty cloth Disney ones many years ago (after Easter on a sale) and have been leaving them out each year.

My kids use the same baskets every year, too. That's how we did it when I was a kid. All I ever rememer the Easter Bunny bringing was candy in the basket, but my kids get a little candy and usually bathing suits, though this year my boys still had plenty of suits that fit so I just got a new one for DD as one of her birthday gifts and got them all summer pjs for their baskets because they all needed those.

 

[Faldred]

Our kids will get a basket with some candy and maybe a small stuffed animal. That's pretty much it.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

My kids use the same baskets every year, too. That's how we did it when I was a kid. All I ever rememer the Easter Bunny bringing was candy in the basket, but my kids get a little candy and usually bathing suits, though this year my boys still had plenty of suits that fit so I just got a new one for DD as one of her birthday gifts and got them all summer pjs for their baskets because they all needed those.

We didn't as a kid, but when I started doing it for my kids people acted like it was strange so I figured not many people do it. I guess more people do then I thought!

 

[ilovejack02]

Growing up I got a book, pjs and undies, stuffed bunny and lots of candy.

I dont like giving my little one candy so he usually only gets a chocolate bunny from us. I have stopped doing stuffed bunnies for him.. he is too old.
I am not a Mommy that buys toys every time I am at the store , so I take Christmas, Easter, Valentines and birthdays to do a bit extra.
This yr is Pjs, underwear, new swimsuit and flops, nintendo DS game, new outdoor toys... I throw the outdoor stuff away yearly and start fresh at Easter. Legos and the Bedtime Story DVD and one chocolate bunny. Im sure something else will sneak in there if I am at the store this week.

Oh and yes we teach our lil sweetie all about the real meaning of Easter. We have several books about it.. attend church regularly. He knows the real meaning.. but yes does get toys and I know it is prob more than some kids get, but I dont feel bad about that.
I enjoy seeing him happy and since I say no alot during the year, yes I do go overboard lol.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

My daughter (2) will be getting a few jelly beans and a Little People ABC Delivery truck (that walmart.com had for $6 a while back). She will also get a Thomas DVD with a black 2-section wooden train ($7.50 from Amazon.com). Those two things are about all she is getting as far as presents. My mom and I will dye eggs after she goes to bed on Saturday night, so she'll get real eggs too.

However, now that I think about it, I think Grandpa thought she needed a Cinderella suitcase, so she'll probably get that from them. I know they already bought it and there are no more gift giving holidays between now and our trip in September since her birthday was in Feb.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

For us Easter is also a celebration of the beginning of Spring so my kids get all outside toys in their Easter baskets like bubbles, jump ropes, frisbees, balls, etc. This year they're also getting Bolt (that'll be for the rainy spring days, lol). They all know that the Easter Bunny NEVER brings video games in our house because it's all outside toys.

 

[girlsx4]

For some it seems like a mini Christmas. I don't get it at all. My girls get 1 big basket filled with candy and then 1 item each(like a Webkinz, sunglasses, lipgloss, etc.)

 

[NJFabFour]

Like other pp's, we used to do the outdoor items, little toys, plush items, etc. Now my DIStwins are 10, with their 11th birthday just two weeks after Easter. So w/ the birthday right around the corner, we try to keep it a little light for Easter but still a few goodies in their baskets . . . neither are big candy eaters woohoo so they'd appreciate gifts more anyway. My dilemma is DS . . . while I could get a boatload of inexpensive things for DD (flipflops, tween magazines, nail polish, hair stuff, etc, etc), I'm totally stumped for DS! So far we thought of a book each, a DVD each, and that's where I'm stuck! DH keeps talking video games but I am putting my foot down and telling him that they'll get those for their birthday anyway. Any other thoughts for a nearly 11-yr old boy??

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Any other thoughts for a nearly 11-yr old boy??

My DS is 13, but has loved the pocket Pirate and Star Wars game/cards for several years. $5 for a single pack at Target or Walmart.( Larger packs there too for more.)
Click on Star Wars or Pirates

 

[wishtdream]

Before I was born. Which is long enough ago that I don't want to say. LOL I always got a big gift at easter from my mom.

Easter is at the beginning of spring break for us. My kids need stuff to play with outside in the fresh air. They also dont need lots of candy.

 

[chigirl]

Crazy!
EVERY holiday is commercialized now. People decorate MORE for Halloween in my neighborhood than Christmas, plus Valentines and Easter...it is all too much. The only thing I like doing around Easter is having a big fish fry on Good Friday and watch "Ten Commandments" and listen to the Indigo Girls cd of the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack. The kids get a little basket with some candy and maybe a video or itunes card. $15 bucks total for each (I use the same baskets every year) and we hunt for eggs in the yard...seriously, who remembers what they got for Easter???

 

[MissyDVC]

As with all Holidays, we do it big. We have Easter baskets at home when they wake up with candy and small gifts, then an egg hunt with coins in them and a basket for each child at the end of the hunt at my Mom's house. I am not at all ashamed of making a big deal about celebrating a wonderful day and yes, we do go to church and know the meaning of Easter. I am not sure why anyone is concerned with what others do with their families on a holiday As long as it all comes from a positive place, going big or keeping it simple is up to the giver.

 

[Terry36]

I have 3 nephews and 1 neice who are from one family so they all share one large basket. DD will get a basket with a DS game, book and a few candies.

 

[Perditamarie]

Any other thoughts for a nearly 11-yr old boy??

Boys are tough! Here are some ideas:

* sunglasses
* swim goggles
* baseball cap
* snacks that you would otherwise never buy: chips, slim jims, gum, sunflower seeds, corn nuts, etc
* baseball/football/hockey/basketball cards
* tooth tunes tooth brush

 

[Mallow]

ITA with OP. What I'd also like to know since when did giving candy become a bad thing? Easter is the one time of year we have chocolate for breakfast & enjoy our bunnies & peanut butter eggs thoughout the week.

 

[Minnie]

We really celebrate holidays so I guess I'm one of those that some of you would be laughing at on the other thread

To each their own.......

 

[Colleen27]

ITA with OP. What I'd also like to know since when did giving candy become a bad thing? Easter is the one time of year we have chocolate for breakfast & enjoy our bunnies & peanut butter eggs thoughout the week.

For us, it is just a question of quantity. The kids will get candy-stuffed baskets from both Grandma and Nana, and since spoiling kids is a grandparent's right that we wouldn't dream of interfering with, we cut down on the candy they get from us to keep it to a managable load.

The other thing is that my kids aren't that into sweets, so a lot of it ends up getting tossed out. We actually have a family policy of throwing out leftover Halloween candy at Christmas, leftover Christmas candy at Easter, and leftover Easter candy at Halloween (we use the same bowl in the same cabinet to store it all), and there's always some that gets tossed in preparation for the next candy-giving holiday.