The Easter Bunny Isn't Coming to Our House

I don't think you have to be extravagant, but dyeing and decorating eggs, and hiding and finding them, is inexpensive and fun. I don't see why you can't do that. My 18 year old daughter just made Easter eggs last night.

I don't see the harm in telling them the Easter bunny came, or hid the eggs, or whatever story you want to make up.

Childhood is the only time to experience magic. The more magic the better. It doesn't have to cost much.

My opinion.

Hm, I enjoy putting Easter baskets together for my kids, and love their excitement too much to pass opportunities like Easter, Halloween & Valentines, I see no harm in little thoughtful gifts for these holidays. I found a really neat Rosary bead kit for one of my girls' baskets this year. It was inexpensive, but gives her something to do, and seemed fitting with Easter being a religious holiday.

We do celebrate it as a fun family tradition (we aren't religious at all). My 5 year old son loves rabbits and my 2 year old is starting to follow his lead. We got some carrots with greens on them and left the tops like a bunny ate them. They got baskets with some candy and small toys. They may get more from other relatives but they will probably forget about a lot of the candy after a few days. I also hide some plastic eggs with jelly beans or goldfish crackers. I enjoy seeing the kids have fun while they are young and still have that childlike wonder.

i TOTALLY do the easter bunny, tooth fairy, Christmas, halloween etc... Im not christian, but i recognize a good tradition when i see one. These holidays are so fun, and they mark the year into increments of things kids can look forward to and fantasize about.

for tomorrow, i like leaving "glitter footprints" leading to the hidden eggs and baskets, the baskets usually have a theme. This year the theme is "crafting"..........the easter bunny leaves us things they think the kids would like to focus on for summer.......last year it was "gardening".

We have baskets for our kids when they wake up and we hid some eggs throughout the house for them to find. It's pretty basic really. I do feel like I want to do this for my kids because, growing up, my mom never put any effort into celebrating any of the holidays and she really didn't have a lot of spare cash to do so. Honestly, it made childhood pretty dreary. It always seemed like everybody else was having these great family moments but not us. So, to me, it is important to me that we celebrate the holidays but it is also equally important that we don't go overboard. My kids are are little for a few more years so we have just a short time to instill a little bit of magic and the family bonding moments in their life. I'm just of the opinion that these little things make life a little less glum and gives our family a chance to establish our own traditions and closeness.

As long as your kids know the true meaning of Easter, then I don't see any harm in the Easter bunny. We do the Easter bunny at our house. We also do the tooth fairy, and Santa. You only live once, and it's fun for the kids so why not?

you do not have to go crazy making the easter basket. it can be done for so cheap yet the kids will go nuts. I am sorry, I am not a crafty mama, or a creative mama, but for some things there is just no excuse. that's great that your family makes the gifts for your kids, but how to they look at it? why didn't easter bunny come to their house, instead of extended family's house to drop off the gifts? yes, there is a greater meaning behind easter, but my God, do kids have to be suffocates only with that? My kids are 6 and totally understand about easter (they go to a catholic school, so they're well-informed about that and appreciative) but easter bunny is the fun side of easter. so I really think while you do not have to defend yourself to anyone, get on the mama wagon, and do something for your kids. 1 basket per child will maybe cost you 12 bucks (including the 99 cent basket from michaels). good luck.

The thing that stood out to me when I was done reading your post is that even though it's nice that your children get things from their grandparents... they aren't going to have and traditions of their own. That made me a bit sad, and for that reason alone it may be nice to start one or two traditions that are just for you/in your house.

I get the whole 'over done' bit of the holiday (of all holidays actually!) and I don't do a huge Easter. We hide eggs and have a basket of a few things for the children to open (pj's a barbie, chalk). they wake up and immediately start hunting for eggs, then open their baskets. If the more 'traditional' things like that don't interest you then do something as simple as a big breakfast where you serve the same food/ a special dish each time so it becomes special.

The thing is -I think that I enjoy doing it just as much and if not MORE than the kids enjoy getting it. I couldn't imagine not doing it to tell you the truth. Because it is FUN. Thats it -nothing more and nothing less. It's sad that many parents have the need to feel better than me because they do either very little or nothing at all. Or 'judge' my devotion to my religion because this morning was filled with candy and toys and an egg hunt. Whats that I read in the bible straight fromt he lips of JC?? Oh yeah-I think it was "judge not, lest thou be judged." Happy Easter!!!! =:+)

When the children were little-it quite frankly resembled Christmas-lots of opulent gifts and chocolate-it was wonderful-and I miss it very much.

My kids don't need a basket at home either. They go to 3 Easter egg hunts, grandma gets them more candy than all the egg hunts combined, they are spoiled without me lifting a finger. It's probably silly or maybe just my pride, but I did want the Easter bunny to come here. I decided there was already going to be more than enough candy, so I did books, a dvd each, toy cars and play dough eggs (I found them at Target. The play dough is already inside the eggs!) My SIL did kites one year and clothes one year.

I can't wait to see their faces! I'm very proud of finding all items (no candy) and doing it fairly cheap.

Just something to think about if you do decide to do something, but if you and the kids are happy you must be doing something right!

For me, Easter is about fertility, the wakening earth, rebirth / resurrection and growth.

My family came over and we shared a delicious brunch. Later, if it's not pouring, we'll stick our hands in the soil and plant flowers. The kids each received pansies/snapdragons/marigolds, gardening gloves, a spade and a watering can from their Nana. The "Easter Bunny" brought them a new spring dress, a basket, a jewelry box and a mug (yay, thrift store!). They are thrilled.

I love God, tradition, family and shared food. For us, holidays are another special reason to celebrate life and to remember our humanity. I didn't like holidays (except for when I was little) until I had children of my own. Now, it's a day when magic feels very real. I think that is really incredible. Sharing that experience with them, and giving them a history, is magical for me too.

I never believed in Santa, Easter Bunny, etc.. because my mom never allowed it either. I am not emotionally scared or anything. However I do want to do these things for my child, simply because that is my preference. I do want to say one thing though, if your kids don't believe these thing, and especially if they are young please don't let them ruin it for other kids. My mom didn't want me to believe in santa, in her words, Don't let people lie to you there is no such thing. I was five at the time, but what she forgot to mention is that I shouldn't go around telling other five year olds that he doesn't exist. So I went around kindergarten telling the truth and ended up in the principals office and it was the principal that had to explain it to me. Not a fun experience.

we don't do easter. my daughter is invited to her cousin's house for an easter egg hunt and we'll go. but if that didn't happen we'd do nothing.

it's a religious holiday. to assume everyone celebrates it is ignorant and insensitive. and when it comes to gift giving - absolutely nothing from me or dad on the holidays you mentioned! they get enough for birthdays and winter holidays!

don't feel guilty-you are doing the right thing in my opinion.

"The main reason why I never do anything is because everyone else does. "

There is your answer.
I agree with Sue, I am not contrary, because I want to be different, I do different things, because I am different.

But children are children. They enjoy these traditions. It is noce that your family sends them treats.

You can make them more giving type of events, by turning the tradition around and allowing your children to be the Easter Bunny for less fortunate children tr children in the hospital. At least this way they are getting to participate in the fun with YOU.

If this your main reason then do not do anything.
Your children seem to be fine, so it does not matter what anyone else says.

My kids - 8 and 11 - leave their empty Easter baskets out by their bedroom doors....they know we fill them with candy, etc.

We celebrate Easter differently now - we've not been to church in 5 years - bad, I know - however, we DO keep God in our family - we pray together, talk about the wonderful things God has done and tell our boys Easter is NOT about the "bunny" but the fact that God gave his only begotten son so we could live and be forgiven our sins (simply put) that Easter is about the Ascension of Christ.....

I get it for you and your family! YOU GO!!! Why spend all the extra money on things they will already be getting from extended family!! Don't worry about what other parents think!!

I never made a big deal about the Easter bunny when my daughter was young... Like, when she was 2, 3 and 4 years old,, Mama (me) would hide the eggs and she/her friends would go find them. Well, a few weekends ago, she told me that I was the Easter Bunny. "Why do you think it's me?" I asked... "Because you always hide the eggs.". Forget the basket of goodies--it's all about the egg hunt for her and, well, I guess I blew that because I didn't fake it from the start.

As for how to start doing the Easter Bunny after not doing it previously, we leave out empty baskets; the Easter Bunny fills it up--kind of like stockings at Christmas. (That also helps to ensure that we don't end up with a new basket every year. I try to reuse instead of buying new all the time.). You can always explain that the Easter Bunny only visits houses that leave out baskets--and since you never left it out before, that's why he skipped your house.

How very sad that another parent was judgmental and made you feel it necessary to defend yourself. How you celebrate the holiday is just fine for your family.
Personally I do not believe that holidays are about gifts. In our house we focus on the meaning of the holiday and keep the gifts and candy to a minimum.
When my son was very young we did the Easter bunny thing and honestly I wish we hadn't. We stopped when he was 5 years old. I realized how silly it is to teach children that a bunny brings eggs, candy, and things like that. I thought it more important to teach him what the true meaning of Easter is. Family members gave our son Easter baskets and candy, and that was fine, but we didn't. And now that he is 16 years old, he doesn't get an Easter basket or anything.

Geesh! People can be so rude. Well, we do the Easter basket thing and I am beginning to regret it. This year, one of my boys tried to "request" what he wanted for Easter, like it was his birthday. That did not go over well with me. Then they proceeded to wake us up at 630am, tearing the house apart looking for their baskets (hiding the baskets is a tradition I grew up with). My husband and I decided that next year, we will be attending a traditional Easter service so they can hear the real reason behind this holiday and experience it the way we did growing up.
The Easter basket thing was fun when they were little but now it just seems to another expectation for gifts and candy. Disappointing, but our fault.
This probably hasn't helped...I think that your kiddos are probably just fine with the stuff from the other relatives.

I don't push the bunny either. We do have an egg hunt, but that's just because its fun. I bought 2 small gifts and no chocolate. My kids still have choc. from Valentines! I guess they didn't get my sweet tooth!

I also have 2 moms that give big bags of stuff from them at Christmas, Valentines, and Easter!

We colored the eggs. I hid them. The kids found them. We had a good day. Sometimes we invited friends for brunch.
If you have all the grandmothers you do more gifts are not a good option. They must have a houseful. When I was growing up our easter presents were a pair of patent leather shoes. I cut that out with my kids because dressing up uncomfortably for a day does not put joy in my heart.
Don't let other parents and their standards destroy your vision of your family. You are not doing them any harm. It is the same as someone insisting you try or attend their church when that is not your experience of God.

Sounds like you have it made with the tradition you've been doing. I see no reason to change it.
Mine always had a basket Easter morning, and we colored eggs the night before. Dad and I would hide then in the yard and they would go find them, but by the time they were 7 and 8 they didnt care about egg hunts anymore.
We would go to church of course. But Easter wasnt a big deal at our house for the most part. I was more of a Christmas mom, Easter hype didnt force me to do anything I couldnt afford or have time for for the most part.

In previous years I would hide pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters in plastic eggs around the house. My two oldest enjoyed it; it was a way to fill their piggy banks...but we're a Christian family and I feel that all this "Easter bunny/baskets/eggs/candy" takes away from the true meaning of Easter. My husband's employer does an Easter egg hunt every year and my three children enjoy finding the plastic eggs scattered around at the designated park and that is fun enough. My family, like yours, gives my kiddos all kinds of stuff throughout the year so I have stopped doing anything at our house. And my children know there is no such thing as the Easter bunny anyway.

We do a very small basket bubbles, chocolate bunny, peeps, and an egg hunt. I have seen people that get huge baskets and fill them with toys, huge amounts of candy, etc making it a mini Christmas. If they got baskets from grandma I probably wouldn't do baskets at home just the egg hunt.

At our house the Easter Bunny leaves plastic eggs with a piece of candy or a coin inside them hidden around the living room on Easter eve. When my son wakes up he has to fill his Easter basket by finding the eggs. Grandma sends him a small chocolate bunny and a card. And that's it for us. We keep it simple.

My response to people who bad mouth you for the way you treat holidays is your child is gaining the more important version of the holiday. My mom raised me NOT to believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny because she didn't want to teach me Santa, Easter Bunny and God and 2 of the three turn out to be fake so how would I believe her about God. I have trained my kids the same way! Stay strong! You are doing the right thing!

I can see your point. With extended family who is able to give and want to give to the little kids in the family it can be a lot. At our house Easter Bunny hides the eggs we just colored. Will hide a few plastic eggs with jelly beans and hide a homemade "basket" with a chocolate bunny and book in it. This year I'm going to write him a note because I forgot to buy jellybeans for the birdsnests candies I made. I'm sure he will have a few jelly beans to spare ;-). Do what you are comfortable with whether that is to follow what others are doing or not. You know how to reach your children in your family situation and make things meaningful and special.

My daughter is 14 so the "kid" traditions are starting to fade, but the way it worked in my house was wherever she woke up is where she got the goods. Be it Easter, Christmas, Valentines, etc... As a single mother I relied on family to help me with child care. For many years I had to work every other weekend and she would spend those with her grandmother. If that happened to fall on a holiday then that's where things happened. (Except with the tooth fairy cuz she's very very old and she would forget where she went and when to even go. But that's another post.) Also, I would NEVER defend myself or explain my actions to anyone. My traditions are my own, and I can raise my family how I choose and I owe no one an explanation.

So Happy Easter, celebrate how you choose, and don't let anyone tell you different.

My husband and I buy very little, compared to most parents, for any holiday including birthdays. A special day can be special without tons of toys and candy. Spending time with family and friends is most important. However, we do give something for each holiday including having the Easter bunny come and hide eggs. We don't do anything before church because that is the most important part of the day. My husband and I always take seperate cars to church because my youngest isn't ready for SS and he and my husband meet my oldest son and I for church. When it is time to leave the kids always ride with me and I always "accidently" forget an item from the store on the way home. Meanwhile, my husband(the Easter bunny) hides the eggs quickly before we arrive. After looking for eggs, we give them their Easter baskets with treats from us and grandparents. Whatever treats we get through the mail from family, we stick in the basket so it fills up quickly. I bought each of my children a basket on their first Easter and we reuse it every year. I even reuse the same green grass. Just fluff it up and that stuff lasts forever. Happy Easter!

When my kids were little we were always thousands of miles from family so traditions were really big with us. I always did (and still do) easter baskets for everyone in the house (except me ... I just got the extra candy LOL). I even make one for the hubby.

When the kids were little the easter bunny hid them and brought them things like books, movies, stuffed animals and the like. The candy in the baskets was limited to a chocolate bunny and maybe some jelly beans or something like that.

As they've gotten older and figured out the easter bunny (as well as santa and the tooth fairy ... sigh) they still get baskets and have to hunt for them in the morning (and I use the term loosely) as well as do an easter egg hunt at some point during the day.

We're not christians so we just do it cause it's fun :)

But if you're all happy with the way things are currently ... then don't change it. It'll be normal for them and won't be any big deal.

We made a decision this year to leave the Easter Bunny out of Easter day. He came the day before Easter and that's the way it will be from now on.

We don't go overboard at Easter either. I also only get the kids things that they need. My oldest got a dress and a nightgown. My youngest got crayons, a sketch pad and pjs. They got sidewalk chalk to share and a few movies from the $5 bin at WalMart. We did get them a small table this year, but that was because our old one broke. I don't buy into the whole "Easter is a mini Christmas" thing. We get them a few things, but on Easter morning and day our focus is on our Risen Lord.

Happy Easter!

I did the Easter bunny when my son was young - small baskets with goodies and also something from the Christian Book store to celebrate the real reason for the holiday.

As he got older I dropped most of candies and concentrated on the gifts with meaning. At 14 he know the bunny is not real, so it is no biggie to him. And my Aunt made up for the lack of candy yesterday!!!

We do go to church - so Easter services are important to us. After services I will make a nice meal for us and call family and then settle in to relax for the remainder of the day.

Happy Easter !!!!

God Bless

We didn't do much in the way of E. Bunny things, either. They had baskets, but they knew who really filled them (they liked the candy just as well). Occasionally the basket-filler forgot until the last minute and had to say, "Go outside for five minutes, kids!"

One thing we did was to make some little Easter baskets and take them to friends and neighbors.

We focused on the real Easter, and everything seemed to work pretty well.

We are in the exact same situation and don't do it either! Don't feel bad!!

I flat out told my 4 year old daughter that the Easter bunny is pretend, and that it is fun for some families to pretend that there is a bunny that hides the eggs. I also told her that I would get up early and hide some eggs with treats in the yard for her to find tomorrow. She is SUPER excited about it.

I wish we had never done the Easter bunny thing. I would never have even started if it hadn't been for my grandmother, who thought it was necessary. I think an egg hunt at church or with family is enough. Last year after they had already received baskets from my mother and where still begging for the Easter Bunny, I told them that the bunny didn't come to our house anymore. He was afraid of our dog (who likes to catch and eat bunnies). Maybe not my finest moment as a parent, but I was a little tired of hearing about it.

I've never done the Easter bunny. I think my son got an Easter basket last year, but I can't remember for sure! I have two of the pre-filled ones in my cabinet, so maybe I forgot. I go to Walmart the day after and get a pre-filled basket half off. Now that he is 4 and is able to understand more, especially since his preschool threw a party, we dyed eggs today and will do an egg hunt tomorrow. I'm going to give him a basket, but I won't say the Easter bunny brought it. He doesn't get a lot of gifts through the year and the basket cost $5, so it's not really a big deal to me.

We never did the Easter Bunny, either. A few times we were invited by friends for an Easter egg hunt. My boys enjoyed the egg hunt so much that one year they asked me to buy some plastic easter eggs for them. They took turns hiding the eggs for eachother. I don't think we even put any candy inside of them!

You do as you feel and forget about others. Nothing wrong with it. For what you said, the kids are enjoying it anyway!
We place a nice basket in each kid's room with a cute stuffed animal while they are asleep, and the next morning (Easter) they go eggs hunting (the chocolate eggs we spread in the house everywhere!) nothing more, nothing fancy. The kids later, arrange equal quantity of eggs if one found more than the other one. We have a nice breakfast, we pray and explain the kids the meaning of the eggs and then we attend mass.
Just enjoy your holidays from your heart and according to your needs, values and meaning.

We don't do Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus...all because they are LIES, and we are trying to instill a very strict moral code in our children when it comes to lying. So, we don't lie to them.

And yup, I have to defend myself against it a lot. Every time someone asks "So, what did Santa bring you?" and my daughter says, "Oh, we don't believe in Santa,"...oh, the nasty looks! And especially my own mother...she is SOOO upset that we don't do these things for our children! In fact, she started overstepping our rules and sending Easter baskets. So I said absolutely not, and now I buy them a "basket" that they get a week before Easter and it comes from me, as a gift.

Far more important to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and Easter, especially. Good for you. I honestly thought I was the only one!!

We never did the Easter bunny thing with our daughter. She always got Easter goodies from grandparents and always got to hunt Easter eggs at the grandparents' and in our town. None of her friends ever thought there was such a thing as an Easter bunny that brought gifts and neither did my friends when I was growing up. It was never a secret to be kept. I'm sure you did the right thing for your family.