I don’t know about any of you but I’m still digging out from this weekend.

Did we get snow?

No.

We got Easter.

Since when did Easter become the new Christmas?

When I was a child we received one Easter basket.

One.

From. The. Easter. Bunny.

The Easter Bunny (aka my mom) hid Hershey Kisses all over the house instead of eggs. Little bunny turds, I liked to call them. After all of the Kisses were found, we opened our baskets full of candy, bubbles, chalk, jump ropes, paddle balls, and stuffed bunnies. From there we would have breakfast, dress in our Easter best, and head to my grandparent’s house.

My grandmother would color eggs the day before, write our names on them, and sometimes give us a stuffed Easter themed animal of some sort. That was it.

Done.

This is what my mother’s house looked like on Easter.

24 Easter baskets

Six children. A basket from my parents and each of the aunts and uncles. There are four, count them, FOUR, Easter baskets per child. And I’m not talking four run of the mill, candy filled, baskets. I’m talking toys, puzzles, clothes, watches, action figures, art supplies, a new puppy.

Okay, I’m kidding on the new puppy.

In my family, it appears Easter has gone a bit overboard in the novelty department. Don’t get me wrong, I contributed one of those four baskets. And trust me, shopping for these kids takes serious thought.

Who likes what. Who’s favorite princess is who. Is he into Matchbox cars or Legos? Is she too old for that? Will she like this? What size is he? Get it?

Christmas!

My son received a total of 6 baskets and one gift in a 24 hour time span.

I’m still shaking my head.

And stuffing my face with Peanut Butter eggs.

And what would Easter be without a real life Easter Bunny showing up to guide you to your Easter Egg hunt?

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335 eggs hidden on one acre of property. Plastic eggs filled with more goodies no less.

My poor mother. Stuffing eggs. Counting eggs. Praying to God all 335 are found before she finds them 3 months later while mowing the lawn.

Browsing through Facebook the past few days it seems we aren’t the only family turning Easter into the next major gift giving holiday. I have seen so many posts and photos of Easter egg hunts and Peter Cottontail dressed characters showing up to parties.

Most importantly, the kids LOVE it. As I look back on my childhood Easters, I realize they were pretty tame.

Or lame.

Regardless, this is all that matters…

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(This post originally ran on Chi Town Mommy Mayhem)

About the author: TJ Falletti is a 40 something, first time, new mom. She lives with her fiance and their son in a suburb of Chicago. Her blog started as a way to cope with postpartum depression following the birth of her son but now helps relieve the everyday stresses of toddlers and tantrums. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends, dogs, and sitting down with a good glass of wine. You can find her at Chi Town Mommy Mayhem.

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4 Comments

  1. My kids are going to hate me. I did nothing. They are at their dad’s this weekend. If he did nothing I may be taking them out for ice cream tonight!

  2. It isn’t like you are going to end up with monsters from the few times a year your relatives go overboard if you are raising them with good values the rest of the time. That being said, your old Easter was perfect and your instincts are spot on.

    The one you described today is one ingredient on the list in the recipe for the narcissism we see in society. In both emotional and material ways children need a middle ground given to them; extreme deprivation creates narcissism because the child fears the pain of the rejection and devaluation they feel. Overindulgence has the same effect because children become so accustomed to praise and reward that criticism or any perceived slight is intolerable and they engage in all sorts of unhealthy behaviors to avoid it at any cost.

  3. My thinking also – my son asked me this year what he was getting for Easter. Getting for Easter? He’s 14, the Easter Bunny and baskets have long been retired. He just got braces so there’s there’s little to no candy for the time being. We went to my in-laws house where they set up an Easter egg hunt – plastic eggs filled with candy, some with dollar bills – were strewn all over the back yard. I groaned – he found a plastic shopping bag and used it as a basket to scoop up his Easter booty.

  4. Well we did pretty much nothing as far as gift around here… and I gotta say the grandparents filled in… I can’t compete with Grandpa buying my kid a bike or the beautiful dresses my mom buys for my girls. I know when to bow out and hand over the torch.

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