The Easter Bunny Must Die

It's Easter. Resurrection day. The day Christ conquered death, paid for our sins and made a way for us to have eternal salvation. I'm sorry to say but it is not the day the Easter bunny came or baskets and eggs were delivered. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Cadbury and Reese peanut butter eggs more than most any other candy any time of year. I just hope the Easter goodies aren't mistakenly taking over the rightful place of the cross. 

With 8 presentations of the Living Cross between these two weekends, there's little time for extras. Still it is an amazing opportunity to engross myself in the reality of this season. I've enjoyed celebrating Easter and the traditions our family holds. We had a huge lunch last week on Palm Sunday and brunch out today. We dyed Easter eggs. It was a near disaster. The kids we're fighting over whose was whose and which stickers they wanted to use to decorate. We had an Easter egg hunt. Another near catastrophe. Something about he got more than me and she has the one I wanted. There were Easter baskets - some candy and trinkets, a Lego set and some m&m's, a few fun things but nothing over the top. But it was made clear no bunny delivered the basket besides mom and Mr. Mike (and one from Nana of course). There was even a trip to see the Easter bunny. Why? Purely for the traditional picture. They weren't even in their Easter best. Autumn refused to wear a dress and Eli had on his played-in outfit from school. Nevertheless we got the expected picture and they each got a coloring page so everyone seemed happy. 

I don't judge you or your children for their belief in the bunny delivering goodies. Just last month my son came home and asked if we had a leprechaun. Excuse me, a what?! No, we don't have a leprechaun, nor is he bringing a pot of gold or any other gifts. Seriously??? His childlike wonder in Santa and our fun little elf doesn't exactly extend to the Easter bunny. Even Autumn noticed the bunny was brown this year yet before had been white. 

I don't mean to offend but the Easter bunny needs to die. At least in all the glorification we've given it and the overflowing baskets of gifts that resemble Christmas morn. We've sensationalized the bunny and in our pagan attempt to align with the world's view of the holiday, we've promoted this fictional character over the cross. My friend's young son, an old soul we call him, asked his preschool teacher "Where do the eggs fit into the Easter story?" Good question. Oh yes, we have symbolic resurrection eggs now. But it does leave one to ponder - how do the eggs fit into the story? Or the bunny no less? We've created an expectation of what the holiday should be and somehow replaced our children's knowledge of the cross with what they hope the bunny has brought. It should be fun. It should be light hearted. It should be a celebration of family and life. Not one of candy and ham but one of Christ's love. Not one of bunnies and baskets but one of an empty tomb and the conquering of death. Not one of gifts and trinkets but of THE gift of eternal life, our sins paid for. The Easter bunny didn't die for us. Jesus did. Let's celebrate Him!