Easter Bunny

noby

So, what's people's opinion on this character?

The last couple of years we have played the hunt for eggs game in our back garden, something, I might add, that we never had growing up. Last year our two eldest (4 & 5)started hearing about the Easter bunny, both from school, and, especially from their cousin.

I was adamant that we weren't about to introduce a(nother) fictional magical character into their/our lives. When it came up again last week, I told them, as nicely as possible, that there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny, and this is a game that we play, and will continue to play on Easter Sunday.
I think we came to a compromise that they will be hunting for the Easter Bunny's eggs, but they will also know that sometime earlier in the morning either their Mam or Dad snuck out to set up the hunt.

beth-lou

I don't understand what harm it would have been to play along with the Easter Bunny story. Kids absolutely love the whole idea of it and they only have such a short space in time when their imaginations can delve into such magical fantasies.
What is your issue with it? Do you do Santa? And if not, why? I can understand if it is against your religion or culture, but on a less serious note, if these are not a factor, why not. Why not indulge their imaginations and enjoy their wonder and innocence? The big bad world will catch up with them soon enough. Childhood should be a time where childish things are allowed, in my opinion.

noby

I guess it does read like I'm a grumpy old sod. Yes we 'do' Santa. And there will be tooth fairies, when the time comes, and there are numerous other situations where they get to indulge in their imaginations etc.
We also played the hunt the egg game for the last few years - questions were never asked, it was still a 'magical' game.
Then last year, their cousin (who is older, probably doesn't 'believe' anymore and, I'm sure, felt she was doing the right thing) built up the whole Easter Bunny story. I just felt I wanted to draw a line.
I don't think it's effecting their wonder and innocence. Perhaps I'm out of step and the Easter Bunny is an accepted part of Easter nowadays, is it?

nice1franko

Santa and the Tooth Fairy are great but the Easter Bunny is bit silly... at least, that's what we thought when we were kids and that's how it'll be when our one's big enough too!

beth-lou

You don't come accross as a grumpy old sod at al.

I dunno about the Easter Bunny, it was always around when I was a kid and I'm 35 now. Not really a big deal, it's your choice. The big concern I would have is that they might guess about Santa and the tooth fairy being not true too, especially when they tell all their friends that there's no such thing as the Easter Bunny, and they argue that there is. It's not a huge deal and it is the first of the pretend characters to go generallly anyway. The eg hunt is a great idea anyway.

How old are you kids?

noby

beth-lou wrote: »

How old are you kids?

6,4,& 1.

Because we didn't make a big deal of it either way I don't think it's the kind of thing that they would go telling their friends that believe. I guess it came to a head when their cousin started to build it up to a big deal, and that's what I wanted to nip in the bud.

I guess there are acceptable fictional characters, and there are others that I would prefer not to go down the road of.

muckety

We never did the easter bunny thing, I don't remember hearing much about it when I was a kid and think it is an imported tradition, so it never occurred to us to go along with it. But we discovered lots of people do, and we were quite unpopular a couple of years ago when our daughter went around telling all her friends that there was no such thing.....!

traceybere

We do have the Easter bunny - we have had since my daughter was 1, it just makes Easter a bit more fun. Easter bunny brings 2 or 3 eggs and some small eggs in the garden.

However - she came home from school the other day asking can she write a letter to him to tell him what she wants :eek:

The girls in her class do an Easter letter placing their "order" with him :eek::eek::eek: not just eggs but gifts too!!! Now i'm not mean but presents for Easter???

jackell

traceybere wrote: »

However - she came home from school the other day asking can she write a letter to him to tell him what she wants :eek:

The girls in her class do an Easter letter placing their "order" with him :eek::eek::eek: not just eggs but gifts too!!! Now i'm not mean but presents for Easter???

My 4 year old would get a present off easter bunny:).he get small easter egg and present,like last year he got a bike as i thought why get so much choc and get fat,if he get bike off easter bunny keep him fit,he have the bike longer than the choc!! and we goin to easter egg hunt just for the fun

jaybee747

We don't do the Easter bunny thing but we do the egg hunt every year, the kids love it,aged 9/7/3. Think the easter bunny thing is grand for the younger kids 3/4/5 after that its just chocolate "lets find it"

silverharp

I think the Easter Bunny thing is good fun , as a kid Easter was just about eating as many chocolate eggs as possible without getting sick , now with our kid , we do the egg painting the day before , then he gets to look for the eggs in the morning and gets to "swap" them for a Kinder egg.
It creates a bit more excitment and gets the focus away from over eating the chocolate. I'd draw the line at lists for presents though.

di11on

Interesting discussion... I was never convinced by the Easter Bunny. At least with Santa Clause there is St. Nicolas.... so there is some connection with the actual event being celebrated (albeit a weak one). However, what is the connection between the Easter Bunny and the Christian Easter story?

On another note... we run SoftandCuddly.ie and all our cuddly rabbits are literally hopping out the door! We were totally caught by surprise - we would never have through of cuddly bunnies as things to buy at easter!

foxy06

I was having this conversation in work just last week. Where did this Easter Bunny thing come from? I never had it as a child (I'm 27) and neither did my husband. The kids did hear it from outside the house and we so humour them but I just don't think it has the same magic as Santa.

Das Kitty

Last year a neighbour's child got a bike from the Easter Bunny.

Good luck to them explaining why he's only getting a chocolate egg this year as the family aren't as moneyed as they were last year.

di11on

Das Kitty wrote: »

Last year a neighbour's child got a bike from the Easter Bunny.

No way. That must be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! In some respects, we had this recession coming to us - things were getting way out of hand!

littlebug

Good lord Presents from the Easter bunny:eek: There was no easter bunny when I was a child except in stories.
Mine seem to have bought into the easter bunny thing to an extent though we generally just have them stay in the front room while the easter bunny hides the eggs in the garden. All the eggs will say on them who they're from i.e. us, granny and grandad etc so the supposed bunny does not actually give them anything, just hides the eggs provided by others. I'm pretty sure they know who really hides the eggs though..... it's all just part of the game.