I consider myself a pretty hard-core Christian. We attend our Sunday meetings, read from the scriptures (almost) every day, have regular WWJD discussions, pray about all sorts of seemingly unimportant lost items–quite simply, we incorporate religion the way Elizabeth Taylor incorporated diamonds (the one thing that was apparently constant in her life; I just finished reading the Elizabeth Taylor People special edition, wowsa).
This week is Easter Sunday, and in our house, we celebrate the bunny on Saturday and the Savior on Sunday.
I have a hard time with people who like to villianize little furry creatures who deliver chocolate. There are so many ways we can handle paganistic commercialism, and in our household, we modify it to fit our needs.
For example, think of winter. It’s month after month of ugly brown deadness. And when you think you can’t take another day of it, it snows.
But then, every year just about this time, those carcasses we call trees come back from the grave and sprout all kinds of colorful popcorn on the planet. How brilliant! How beautiful! What a testament to Christ and the resurrection!
Per my mother’s teachings, I tell my children that the Easter Bunny is here to welcome springtime, and that springtime comes to remind us that Jesus Christ lives again. We talk about the winter and the dead grass, and the miracle we call spring. And then we talk about the atonement, the crucifixion, and the miracle of the empty tomb.
Tonight we dyed eggs and the kids left pictures for the bunny. Harrison wanted to write him a letter, this is what it said:
Dear Easter Bunny:
I hoop you have good wether to night. Thank you for helping spring get here. And thank you for coming when Jesise Christ was resureected. 🙂
I’m thankful for a bunny who comes each year and reminds me to teach my children the true meaning of Easter.
Thank You!!!! Love your post and shared it with all my friends on facebook. I plan on sharing some of your thoughts with my daughter who is speaking for the first time in church on Sunday.
Sandy, that is so nice of you! Jenny, I’m totally passing that suggestion along. I love that, my kids would love that. Maybe on Easter Sunday we’ll hide 12 eggs like that for the kids. Great suggestion.
I think that was a beautiful way of expressing it. I don’t celebrate with the bunny, but most of my family does. We color eggs on Saturday and have a family day. We keep Sunday Sacred. I know that not everyone does what I do, but I like it. I think the important thing is that you have traditions for your family that they look forward to. I think the important thing is what the holiday means to you, not necessarily how you celebrate. I think it is wonderful that you have found a way to mesh the two together and to make it special for your family.
I don’t have any problems with the Easter bunny. The holiday is what you choose to make of it. If you focus on the Cadbury Eggs, well, than that’s what Easter will be about for you. We do Easter baskets and candy and dyed eggs, and this year, we will even do it on Sunday, since that’s when we will be together with all of my family. But, in and amongst the regular eggs that the children will hunt, there will be twelve eggs, with, instead of candy, a sacrament cup hidden inside. When all the eggs are found, we’ll have a discussion about the special eggs and what it means… and you get the picture.
Having said ALL that… in the grocery store the other day, my seven year old daughter looked at me and said, “Mommy, is the Easter bunny real, cause I don’t think it is.” And I totally told her the truth right there on the spot. It just felt wrong to lie about a giant rabbit that hides eggs. She feels all kinds of special now though, knowing that she knows what the grownups know.
We’re a BUNNY on Saturday morning SAVIOR on Sunday kind of family. I simply adore your post and the way you have explained it. I want to raise my children with a stronger sense of the Savior, but still want them to enjoy simple pleasures of childhood. You summed up my feelings perfectly. God Bless You. Happy Spring! Happy Easter!
We were just having this discussion tonight and I thought it crazy that people would do the Easter bunny thing on Saturday. But this post? Totally changed my perspective. And I mean totally. Though I obviously didn’t plan ahead in time for this year (we have yet to dye eggs), I think we will do your mom’s idea: let the Easter bunny officially usher in spring, and then focus on the more important reason we celebrate Easter. Someday I’ll get this parenting thing right.
I don’t even have kids, seeing I hate them and all, but you have convinced me that this is the way to go.
I love the way you put it, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have to put it that way to my kids now. Brilliant.
We always did the Saturday / Sunday thing. I think that Easter is THE High Holy Day for Christians, and it’s one of the few that, if we don’t want to, we don’t have to turn into a mad, gift giving frenzy. A little treat, something springy to wear, colored eggs on Saturday – and the Savior on Sunday.
But before people like Emily flog themselves over their parenting choices, it might be good to reflect on certain promises we make every single week, including one to “always remember Him.”
I have zero guilt about the “reason for the season,” neither at Christmas nor at Easter. If we’re only pausing once a year to consider the Atonement, we need to step back and look at the bigger picture anyway. And if not, enjoy your bunny time. They outgrow it so fast.
Traditions are important: they’re a routine for life, something to depend on and anticipate, and a happy memory to reflect back on when times are not all hunky-dory. I’m glad you found something to work for you and your family. Happy Easter, Annie.
I have a friend who does the bunny the monday after Easter so that she can get all her candy at 70% off.
with you all the way on that, Honey. Cute letter!