And . . . Dilemma
I've ran my mouth about Easter before, but have since come around. Sort of. After watching a joyful 3-year old Alexis hunt and gather eggs, I realized that the whole commercialization of Easter thing can be fun. I decided to embrace it. All of it. Every last bit of it.
And then I kind of screwed up.
While we were in Disney World, Mr. Husband and I did something completely out of character for us; We bought a somewhat high ticket item for Alexis. A 20% off coupon proved to be our drug and under it's influence, we bought a Cinderella castle. There's no arguing that $60 was a good price for the thing. We know she will play with it hours and hours and hours and hours because it's a lot like her dollhouse, only it has been sprinkled with pixie dust.
We didn't want to deal with getting it on the plane or any possible baggage fees, so we coughed up $10 to ship it home. No big deal. It should be here any minute now.
Except.
I had absolutely no idea Easter was coming so soon after we returned from Florida. If I had connected those dots, that castle would have been a top secret project and it would be entering the house under the cover of darkness and armed guards so that it could be a Super Awesome Amazing Easter Bunny Gift. As it is, Alexis knows that it exists. She has not mentioned it even once since we got back, but I have no doubt that her little ears heard us talk about buying it and shipping it and blah, blah, blah. SHE KNOWS.
So. I kind of still want to make it her Easter gift. She will, undoubtedly, know that it's not really from the Easter Bunny. The question is, will she then doubt the existence of the Easter Bunny? Are we opening an ugly, monstrous can of worms if we give her reason to doubt the Easter Bunny? Will that lead to the end once and for all of Santa and the Tooth Fairy and the Magical Gnome Who Lives in Our Basement and Will Eat Her if She Opens Any Doors Without Mommy and Daddy? Because, really, I need those mythical creatures to stay real-ish for a little while longer.
Ugh.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Reader Comments (19)
Um, however you spin it, I want to come play with the Cinderella castle. Yes, I did just say that out loud in writing on the interwebz.
She'll buy however you lay out the rules. If you explain that the Easter Bunny does bring a lot of stuff like eggs and the basket and whatnot, but you and daddy also wanted to giver her some goodies, I think she'd accept that.
That always worked coming from my parents, regarding Santa Claus. There were Santa presents and Mom and Dad presents.
Of all the imaginary holiday figures, the easter bunny is the one that I absolutely don't stress about. I encourage my kids to believe in Santa... there's something magical about a gift giving, love sharing, jolly man in a red suit. But a giant bunny that hides eggs? If the kids believe, they do. But to be honest, I'm not gonna lie to foster their belief. Know what I mean?
I vote for the small basket from the bunny, and the big present from the parents. Tell her you let the easter bunny know you bought the castle, so she scaled down her regularly scheduled easter basket so the castle could be more exciting.
My kids absolutely believe that Santa and I exchange emails. Why not the easter bunny too?
Just a thought.....If you tell her the Easter Bunny Brought it..and she calls you on it...can you then say...he BROUGHT it..as in DELIVERED it because the Post Office said it was too big??
What Mommy J said.
the Howler knows that the most awesome stuff at Easter comes from Mommy & Daddy. The Easter Bunny is good for things like candy, pencils (special, much coveted in 2nd gradedom pencils), candy, outside playing stuff, candy, and candy.
I just wrote a big comment and then accidentally clicked away. Damn.
Anyway - come up with a reason (anything - you're going to big school this year - you sleep in your own bed - you had your first recital - you lost a tooth - you aren't afraid of birds - whatever, I am making these up - except for the bird one). Whatever the reason, you can even write a note from the bunny saying this year is special so mom and dad helped me find a special treat. You can make it clear that THIS year is special, so she won't expect it every year.
Let her know that you (the parents) bought it....tell her the truth. Kids are much smarter than we give them credit for and if it comes up again (next year at Easter) you an always say well that was special present because we were in Florida!
Um...since when did the Easter Bunny start giving gifts? I thought he just gave easter baskets and Santa gave the gifts. But I'm an Atheistic Jew with Buddhist tendencies, so what do I know.
@Lilacspecs--I KNOW! I've been trying to figure that out for three years now. Two years ago I was completely blown away because some kids in our neighborhood got bikes and big huge motorized cars and such for Easter. I still don't understand it, to be honest. I'm just going with it. Sort of. ~~Michelle~~
Agree with Mommy J. I see Easter different than Christmas so if my 4.5 yr old doesn't believe there isn't a real Easter Bunny I'm ok with it. I brefly mentioned the EB coming the other day and she looked at me like "the what?". Probably bc I've barely mentioned it. One was coming to her school and she said, "well mom it's just someone dressed as the Easter Bunny not like when the real Santa came". Right.
I think you can spin it either way with Alexis (Easter Bunny delivered it etc..) & however it works out there's nothing that says you can't fill her basket in years to come. It's not like the EB puts any fear in kids to "be good" or they'll get black jelly beans vs. red.
Have fun!
If she hasn't mentioned it, maybe she has forgotten about it. She has had a lot of other things going on in her world lately. A little out of sight/out of mind could work in your favor until Christmas, then it could be the really special present you want it to be.
@Lisa--There is no way she has forgotten. The kid forgets NOTHING. For example, we drove past a particular park for the first time in over a year yesterday. She looked over and asked when Eva was meeting her for a picnic there again. She was referring to a little girl who used to be in her daycare, but left TWO YEARS AGO. The picnic that was at that park with Eva at it was THREE YEARS AGO. Alexis has a creepy good memory. ~~Michelle~~
She is wise beyond her years. The kid will know. When you least expect it, she will have already analyzed and processed it all and then start the conversation she already knows the answer to regarding the Castle appearance. You must make it from mom and dad. Better safe than sorry.
FireDad totally almost spilled the beans about the Easter Bunny while we were dying eggs last night. It was funny as I watched his face contort and his tongue trip over the words.
I have no doubt that she knows. BB remembers things that people think he shouldn't. He remembers when we drove to the beach when he was not quite two. Their brains are amazing.
That said, we're Eastering with my parents this year. They are giving the boys gifts that are NOT from the Easter Bunny as my Mom said she spent too many years getting shorted out of the glory of a perfectly bought present by the Bunny, the Claus and the like. So, just tell Alexis that this is an extra special present from mommy and daddy because she was so good in Disney. Yes?
I say just tell her it is an Easter present from Mommy and Daddy. That way the Easter Bunny isn't called into question and can bring eggs and candy.
Totally with MommyJ (and some others), telling her the little stuff is from the Bunny but the big gift is from you guys. We kind of do that at Christmas too- one or two 'Mommy and Daddy' gifts, then everything else is from Santa.
The only problem with that is... are you setting a precedent for A FREAKING AWESOME GIFT every Easter from you guys? LOL
@Jen--SERIOUSLY. You and I both know we'll never do this good again. Ever. No way. It's bizarre that we bought it in the first place.
you and dad give her the castle. the easter bunny brings candy and eggs, and sometimes a small stuffed animal- but not castles. and if you disagree, i might have to start sending my kid up to your house for the easter bunny to visit him there :-P
If she doubts the bunny take her down to the mall to see the dirty polyester bunny that smells like Corn Dog 7 and say "If there is no easter bunny then what do you call that?" If you are lucky she won't say a scary old man in a bunny suit that likes for kids to sit on his lap.
I was raised thinking the Easter Bunny just left eggs and some candy. My husband, however, received gifts like BICYCLES for Easter. We're probably going to be trying to figure out a happy medium for our kid next year when he's old enough to care.
Now you need to get the Spaceship Earth and Tree of life and don't forget to pick up the monorail too! :-)
The Epcot one is the best because it has a Figment character, you know, your favorite!
I have found that kids will continue to believe what they want to, even after hard evidence suggests contrariwise.