How The Easter Bunny Fits In

Religious holidays are unique in many ways. As we celebrate them we want to enjoy the fun things associated with the season but we don’t want to forget how our religion comes into play. This sometimes poses a dilemma for parents and confusion for children.

As parents we want to do whatever we can to insure that our children have fun. We want them to have great childhood memories that are treasured. But at the same time, we don’t want them to feel like they are missing out on fun things in life that other children enjoy. For some parents, The Easter Bunny is a somewhat questionable character. Much like Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny is said to be a commercialized aspect of a religious holiday.

Earlier posts have discussed the history of Easter and the early beginnings that included the pagan ‘Eastre’ springtime celebration. The rabbit was used in this celebration as a symbol of fertility and new beginnings. As the pagan festivals were converted to Christian holidays Eastre became Easter, and the rabbit was brought along with the celebrations. However, the symbolism is said to have changed from that of fertility to the symbolism of innocence, and a vulnerable creature that can be sacrificed, much like the lamb. For Christians, these symbols are tokens of Christ and the sacrifice he made.

With that in mind, parents can explain to children why it is a rabbit that delivers the Easter goodies. But in many cases, at least until the kids are a little older, they will only care that The Easter Bunny is coming to their house and that he is going to bring the treats they especially want. The tradition of writing letters to The Easter Bunny can help parents iron out this dilemma when working to make the religious connection between The Easter Bunny and the holiday.

The point is that The Easter Bunny letters are generally written as a family activity. There’s no better time to have a discussion about how The Easter Bunny came into the picture than that time. This is a great opportunity to talk about the things you feel are important about the holiday.

Your children will learn from you as they have fun writing the letters and carrying out other fun activities. The religious connection will be made while the kids enjoy the traditional Easter Bunny treats. It really is possible to enjoy a religious Easter that includes The Easter Bunny.

Easter Traditions

Easter is one of those special holidays that we look forward to. In fact, it is not only a Christian holiday, but it is one that is fun for non-religious individuals. Kids of course, focus on The Easter Bunny and the goodies he will bring. But where did our Easter symbols, icons and traditions come from?

The truth is that although many simply say commercialization has resulted in the way we celebrate, there are other bases for the things that have become associated with Easter. According to research conducted online, the holiday was originally a pagan festival. Easter or ‘Eastre’ was a celebration of the return of spring. In those early times Christian missionaries worked to convert the individuals that celebrated the spring. In order to spread Christianity in a way that was better received the holy days were designed to coincide with existing celebrations. This resulted in a continuance of the pagan feasts, but they were celebrated in a Christian manner.

Conveniently enough the spring celebration happened near the same time that Christians celebrated the Resurrection of Christ. It was a simple step to move from one celebration to the other and to change the celebration from “Eastre” to Easter.
This is also where the roots of our modern day Easter Bunny began. The pagan festival paid tribute to the goddess ‘Eastre’ who was symbolized by the rabbit.
The egg is not a new concept either. From ancient times eggs have symbolized rebirth. And decorating and exchanging eggs was a sign of hope and friendship.
As generations have come and gone, we have built on these early traditions and thus, we have embellished some elements and let some lose their importance. The religious among will always see Easter as a Christian holiday. But just like Christmas, Easter is celebrated by almost everyone.

The Easter eggs are an important component of decorating an Easter Basket, but they are mostly just enjoyed for their beauty and the fun of the egg coloring. Plus, kids everywhere use the beautiful eggs as objects to hide in order to play games on Easter.

The Easter Bunny is becoming almost as popular as Santa Claus. Because he brings candy and other treasures to children on Easter most kids want to insure that he knows what they want. This has resulted in a tradition of writing letters to The Easter Bunny. The letters are designed to inform the Bunny of special treats the child would like to receive and even to let him know how good they have been. Kids hope to receive a personalized letter from The Easter Bunny in return. And many do.
Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving, most families have their own particular holiday traditions. This may focus on gifts and decorating, but an important element of each of these holidays is food. Easter Dinner is usually a festive occasion – a time when family gathers to eat a scrumptious meal together.

Whatever you do on Easter and other holidays, I suggest that you begin some traditions of your own. Either follow some that are commonly practiced or create something new. When my children were young we made a tradition of visiting the zoo on Easter. Of course, as the kids grew up they found other things to do on the holiday, but now that tradition is again practiced with my grandkids.

Create some fond memories and some traditions that will be special and unique to your family. Make the most of the time you have with your loved ones!

The No Mess Easter Evening Event

My grandchildren will be coloring eggs and decorating their Easter baskets at my house next year. And while I plan to make an evening around the fun I am also dreading the mess. Believe me, I want the kids to have a great time but I anticipate egg color being spilled and splattered and Easter grass being spread throughout my home. Well, let me back up – I was anticipating those unpleasant outcomes. But here are my solutions to avoiding the mess and to insuring that the kids will remember the time as a fun and creative experience.

Of course this will involve my craft box. I will be needing craft tissue paper in various colors. I will also want to use green ‘stuff’ from my box. If I have any pieces of green wrapping paper from another holiday or event, that will be perfect.
Okay, my plan is that on the evening the kids come over for this Easter Event I have already boiled the Easter Eggs. I generally provide 6 per child. The eggs will be cooling and ready for color. Now I know people’s idea of the perfect grandmother is one that does a lot of cooking and baking – but that really doesn’t describe me. Don’t get me wrong – I love to cook, I just hate the mess!

Anyway, I have decided that we will have a quick and easy meal of tacos. The kids always like to help me gather the ingredients and then make their own tacos their way. We simply place the shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, taco sauce, refried beans, beef and chicken in their own bowls and everyone digs in. I will also cook some rice and purchase a large bag of tortilla chips.

After we eat that meal I will get out the craft box and the real fun begins. To start, the kids will all write a letter to The Easter Bunny. This is one tradition that I really enjoy. It’s mess free and lots of fun for everyone. As the kids are entertained with their letter writing activity I will throw some brownies in the oven.

Next we will color the eggs with a no mess method. Here’s how: The kids will shred the beautifully colored tissue paper – we’ll keep the colors separated in bowls. Next we will use wet washcloths to get the eggs wet enough so that the tissue paper will stick to them. As the paper is applied the eggs will begin to take on that Easterly appearance. And some magic begins to happen. The color from the paper transfers to the eggs. When the paper is dry the kids can remove it to reveal the pastel colors. The entire process is quick and easy, and there’s no mess.

Of course the kids want a beautiful basket to place their eggs in so we will use ribbon, lace, miniature flowers and other odds and ends to decorate those. But no Easter basket is complete without some grass, right? The good news is there are creative alternatives that can be used instead of that messy plastic grass that seems to find its way all over the house.

Here are some ideas that I have found. First, if you have any gift wrap that has a lot of green in it, use it. Just crinkle the paper and place in the bottom of the basket. Then cut small pieces of green ribbon and cut up any green bows you have. This can be added on top of the green paper to give a ‘grass like’ look. This is the method I will be using, but I found a few others that also sound fun.

You could use green licorice (apple flavor is usually green) for grass. Or you could use green fabric. One option here is to purchase green bandanas or even green socks that can be used for something else after the holiday.

You can also purchase various types of green candy to use in place of grass. Or you could use long strands of green beads.

I read a couple of suggestions about using green marbles or spray painting small pebbles green for this purpose. My only problem with this is that some smaller children may put those items in their mouth.

Okay, there you go – a fun filled evening with your kids or grandkids that is virtually mess free. You will build memories for everyone involved. Give it a try!

Easter Basket Alternatives

Most of us have found that saving things from one holiday to another is not always practical. I am referring to things like those treasured Easter Baskets. While some people have ample storage space and are not concerned with a place to keep the baskets from one year to another, others among us struggle with finding a spot to put them. The solution is simple, instead of using a traditional Easter basket, why not use another item that can serve as a basket temporarily and then be used for a practical purpose?

I have searched the Internet and found some creative ideas. Some are more suitable for smaller kids, but others are perfect for teens and even adults. Keep reading, you’re sure to see an idea or two that will work for you and your loved ones.

A ball cap can be perfect for the boy or man in your life. Just fill the cap in the same way you would an Easter basket. Add a little special touch of a wonderful treat and a letter from The Easter Bunny that mentions something about the love of the sport or whatever the cap represents. This idea also works for little boys that are into other things that can represented by a hat or cap. You can find fire fighter hats, Army helmets, construction hard hats, cowboy hats, or whatever. Another idea for a little boy is using a large toy dump truck to hold those Easter goodies.

You can use almost any theme you want. If there is a fisherman in your life (regardless of his age) you can use a tackle box. After all, Easter comes at a time of year when many of us are thinking about all the outdoor activities that we enjoy – why not get a jump on some of the things you will need to buy?

With that thought in mind you might consider such things as a backpack, a small duffle bag, a golf bag, or even a little wagon. The big guy in your life might love the idea of a tool box or even a wheel barrel. Imagine the fun you could have filling these larger containers!

The females in your world also want to have fun and get a little something extra at Easter. Many of the makeup bags are perfect for this purpose. Little girls will appreciate a stroller or a play shopping cart filled with Easter treats. Purses also work well for this.

Sand pails, flower pots and jewelry boxes are other ideas that will work well for this. Even bike helmets or a decorative dish can be used. In one article I found the suggestion of using an emptied paint cans. What I like about this ideas is the fact that its recycling something that is usually thrown out and the cans can be painted and decorated in lots of cute ways. In fact, you happen to be preparing a ‘basket’ for a painter this is an adorable idea. You could add a new paintbrush as a special Easter treat.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Just use your imagination. Find something that will serve a dual purpose. Then when the container is empty of Easter candy and treats it can be used for even more fun. And the best part is you are giving the recipient a great gift that was unexpected.

My Traditional Easter Holiday

When you hear the phrase, ‘traditional Easter holiday’, what type of thoughts come to mind? Generally I flash back to my childhood days. I remember coloring eggs and placing them in my cherished Easter basket. When I was growing up we did not get a new basket each year. Instead, my brothers, sister and I each had our own basket that we treasured, and used over and over again. I remember that the boys’ baskets were bigger and bulkier looking. Mine and my sister’s were smaller and pastel in color, and had a more delicate appearance.

For my siblings and me, decorating our baskets and coloring the Easter eggs was an important event. We always ended the evening by writing a letter to The Easter Bunny. It’s funny though, I really don’t remember if we planned to mail those letters or what – I just remember that writing them was important and it was fun. I also remember that some Easter mornings we would find that The Easter Bunny had actually left us a note. That was always special.

Easter morning for us kids would always start early. It was a lot like Christmas – only our parents did not bother to get up early with us. Instead we would happily carry our baskets into their room to show them our goodies.

Easter Sunday always meant a large breakfast, followed by church, and then Sunday Dinner. Some years dinner was a family event, held at my grandma’s house. And other years we would simply eat at home. But every year included an Easter egg hunt and eating too much candy.

When raising my own children we had our personalized traditions. Of course, we did the usual things like coloring eggs, writing letters to The Easter Bunny, and having Easter egg hunts. But our main event was a trip to the zoo on Easter Sunday. My children have continued this tradition with their own kids.

Now that I am a grandma Easter has a different spin. I treasure all holidays because they offer an opportunity to spend quality time with the ones I love the most. To me, aside from the true foundations of holidays, that is why they are important and meaningful.

This Easter will include observance of religious significance of the day, followed by family time. I will prepare a ‘traditional’ Easter Sunday Dinner. We’ll all eat too much. The kids will run and play. And by the end of the day I will be tired but feeling blessed and grateful. It will be a good day!

The Craft Box Saves Time, Money, When Decorating And Makes Writing Letters To The Easter Bunny Fast And Easy

When it comes to Easter most of us do at least a little decorating and planning. And nowadays we can easily purchase ready-made decorations at our local department stores. But the truth is that most of us have little extra money to spend on decorations for the holiday – instead, our focus is doing whatever we can to make the holiday more meaningful for all concerned. However, if you have children in your home you are likely to find that in order to please them you will need to be a little more creative with your ideas.

In my opinion, one of the important things for every home with children is a well-stocked craft box. This can be any type of container at all as long as it is big enough to hold the items you have available. In fact, some people even have a ‘craft closet’ or pantry. If you are like me you will find that your craft box offers savings when it comes to decorating but also, it can be a true time saver because everything is all in one place. Plus, the children in your home will love the idea that they can easily create wonderful craft projects at almost anytime.
You will want to continuously be adding items to this box. A nicely supplied craft box will include bits of fabric of various sorts and pieces of ribbon, lace, and other trimmings. You may want to purchase cards of the small eyes that can be used in crafting animals and even some buttons. Other items you can add include small artificial flowers, glitter, construction and other craft paper, crayons, stationery, old greeting cards, stickers, markers, glue, tape, wire, bows, pipe cleaners, and even some inexpensive or broken jewelry pieces. Styrofoam can often be used in craft projects so I always suggest that you save pieces of this product when you can. Even some bottle caps and other small discarded items can be useful crafting supplies.

The idea is to have the supplies available so that when your imagination is at its most creative points you have what you need to create. The craft box should help to inspire you and simplify crafting projects.

A good example is when the children you love decide to write their treasured letters to The Easter Bunny. If you are unprepared you will need to find appropriate paper and pens, pencils, crayons, etc. just so the children can get started writing the letters. Then, when the children finish writing their Easter Bunny letters and ask how they can or should decorate them you will again need to scurry about to find suitable decorating supplies.

If on the other hand you have a craft box, everything needed will be conveniently located, all in one place, with no hassle or stress involved. The children will be able to create wonderful letters that will help them feel more secure that receiving personalized letters from The Easter Bunny is a sure thing. After all, he wouldn’t ignore a beautifully decorated letter!

The craft box will hold the things needed to add wonderful details to the cherished Easter Baskets. And another fun way to add to the Easter decorating fun is to glue small things to the beautifully colored Easter eggs. You can easily glue on small bits of lace or ribbon or even add glitter or buttons to the eggs. There is no rule that says your Easter should look everyone else’s. Teach your children to be original and motivate them to use the creativity that lives within them. By nurturing this creativity throughout their childhood they are more likely to refine and build on their talents.

Spring Cleaning, Easter And New Beginnings

Easter is one of the traditional times of year that we think about cleaning. This is partly because it is spring time and spring is when we are ready to come out of our winter funk and prepare for fresh new beginnings.

The truth is that if you live in an area that gets cold during the winter, you have probably had your home closed up for months with the intent of keeping it warm – and of course, saving on your utility expenses. But when we begin seeing the birds return and building their nests and flowers sprouting up from the ground, we are ready to freshen our homes. It is finally safe to open a window or two without fear of letting in freezing cold air.

If you happen to be planning to have guests stay in your home during the Easter holiday then you will surely want to do a little extra cleaning before their arrival. After all, you want your home to look good so that it will be more welcoming and a more comfortable place for your guests, but you also want to insure that you will have time to spend with your company without stressing about cleaning during their stay.

Because you are organizing and cleaning up you may decide that it is the perfect time to clean out some of the things you have accumulated over the last year or years. And because the weather is warmer you might want to have a yard sale with some of those items. This can be a great way to earn a little extra cash that can be used to add to your Easter fun.

After all, Easter is an enjoyable holiday because we spend time with friends and family and because it has a special meaning to us. But as unfortunate as it may be, the things we can do and provide for fun usually require money. And therefore, in some cases at least, the more money you have to spend the more fun you will have.
However, it is true that there are lots of inexpensive ways to have a wonderful Easter. Let me discuss a few of them before I receive a lot of comments about how the Easter can be done on a budget. First of all, going to an Easter church service does not have to cost a cent. Spending time with friends and family does not have to cost money either. And kids can even write letters to The Easter Bunny for free. But if you want to have a special dinner or buy special gifts or treats for loved ones or yourself, you will need some money.

The point is that Easter represents a time for fresh beginnings. These beginnings include a lot of things, some have very deep spiritual connotations, but others focus more on the simple things like cleaning out clutter and freshening up our homes and yards. As you clean out you may choose to simply discard the old, or to donate it to charity, or to have a yard sale. Either way, the end result is the same – you end up with a cleaner environment that has less clutter in it. Ultimately your home has a sort of ‘new beginning’.