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Original poster

Easter bunny angst!

31 replies

Starstencils · 03/04/2026 19:38

We’ve never done that Easter bunny (eldest is 7). I’ve always done them a little Easter basket but that’s it.

She thinks the Easter bunny is coming this year and that’s what her teacher told her.

I don’t really want to start anything big as will have to carry it on for the youngest too.

Does anyone do anything small from the Easter bunny? If I don’t do it, I don’t see how I could explain he isn’t coming as we do Father Christmas and the tooth fairy etc. She sees them all as the same.

What have others done in this situation?

OP posts:
Brewtiful · 03/04/2026 19:42

Do the little basket as you always do and leave it out for when she first comes downstairs. No need to mention a bunny or anything but feel free to play along if she mentions it.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 03/04/2026 19:44

Leave trail of Malteasers on the floor and pretend they’re bunny poos?

Elizabeta · 03/04/2026 19:45

We don’t go big on it. I leave a little hunt out (with written and drawn clues, suitable for my reading and non-reading DDs) which lead to a medium sized egg each. We talk about the Easter Bunny, but never properly pretend he’s real like Father Christmas.

Kids seem happy enough as long as they get some chocolate!

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Events & celebrations
Giftspread · 03/04/2026 19:46

Don't mention it. Leave the basket out for her to find. If she asks if the bunny left them say you have no idea where they came from.

Taytocrisps · 03/04/2026 19:47

I didn't grow up with the Easter Bunny (my parents just gave us Easter eggs). It wasn't really a thing where I lived and I don't remember anyone at school talking about him. I hadn't particularly planned on doing the Easter Bunny. But DD came out of creche one day all excited, because she'd been told all about the EB and how he brings chocolate eggs. I didn't really have the heart to tell her it wasn't true, so I just went along with it. It wasn't a big deal. It just meant that her Easter egg was from the EB until she stopped believing in him.

TY78910 · 03/04/2026 19:48

Are you giving her an Easter egg? Just leave it by her bed to see in the morning and say it was from the bunny 🤷🏼‍♀️ you don’t have to do the hunt and the basket.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 04/04/2026 07:21

I think if you do something a bit out of the norm it would be extra special. The EB leaves bunny ears for the kids at mine along with a few small gifts and a variety of chocolates.

mumonthehill · 04/04/2026 07:25

Yep just leave what you normally give in the garden. We never did Easter egg hunts but on Easter Sunday a chocolate bunny and an egg had been left in the garden. I spent many years up at the crack of dawn doing this...........

littleturtledove · 04/04/2026 07:55

I think "the Easter bunny" mostly just means you leave the eggs out for them to discover excitedly in the morning, instead of handing them over. Bit like letting them find a pound coin "from the tooth fairy " under their pillow/in a glass next to the bed instead of giving it to them direct. At most I would add a chocolate bunny or bunny themed pencil etc to the basket for this year if she's excited about it. Definitely doesn't need to cause extra work.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 04/04/2026 08:12

When did the Easter Bunny become 'a thing'?

I'm sure it didn't exist when I was a child, we used to get a chocolate Easter egg and a boiled egg for breakfast which had a face painted on it.

I'm beginning to think I must have had a deprived childhood? We didn't have fridge until I was 10. And I never had a Gonk.

Paveparadiseputupaparkinglot · 04/04/2026 21:47

My 7 year old believes and my DH once told him as a child he saw the Easter bunny out of the window. Son excitedly said today he’s going to wake early and look out the window for him! We leave eggs around the house not outside as the fox would probably eat them! I don’t know how/when to tell him it isn’t real!!

Needmorelego · 04/04/2026 22:48

Just give the basket as you usually do and if she asks say it's from the Easter bunny.

swifttara · 04/04/2026 22:56

I don’t understand what has happened with the Easter bunny. I was dimly aware some families talked about it like Santa but didn’t think it was a majority. Today my 7yr old asked me if EB was real and I immediately said no, believing that she knew this as weve never ever suggested it is, do Easter egg hunts every year and they know I hide them as they have to wait inside!! She was upset and said she had believed, says everyone at school believes it is. We had a big chat and I was shocked as she’s never expressed that before. I feel quite annoyed! Who decided on behalf of us all we had a new imaginary thing to play along with?! I mean I don’t have to now but now I have the anxiety that she will tell the others…

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:14

The Easter Bunny?! Never heard of this before, apart from in a general sense. Ie. Bunnies at Easter. I’ll be honest, and say it’s the first I heard of it, as an Easter Santa.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 04/04/2026 23:19

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:14

The Easter Bunny?! Never heard of this before, apart from in a general sense. Ie. Bunnies at Easter. I’ll be honest, and say it’s the first I heard of it, as an Easter Santa.

What?!

853ax · 04/04/2026 23:23

In my house I buy children Easter eggs, they sometimes get presents of Easter eggs from grandparents or cousins.
They left them out the Easter bunny might come and hide one or two of them about the house so bit searching to do in morning not just eating chocolate from 7am
One year they didn't get any Easter eggs ahead and the Easter bunny actually left some chocolate so guess for children who don't have chocolate eggs the bunny might step in

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:27

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 04/04/2026 23:19

What?!

Show quote history

Are you surprised I haven’t heard of the Easter bunny as the egg giver? Admittedly my kids are older.

popcornandpotatoes · 04/04/2026 23:27

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 04/04/2026 08:12

When did the Easter Bunny become 'a thing'?

I'm sure it didn't exist when I was a child, we used to get a chocolate Easter egg and a boiled egg for breakfast which had a face painted on it.

I'm beginning to think I must have had a deprived childhood? We didn't have fridge until I was 10. And I never had a Gonk.

We had the Easter bunny in the 90s, but I assume we're of a different generation if you didn't have a fridge. Things change over time. I've no idea what people have against the Easter bunny unless they're very religious.

DD loves it, there have been points in her life she's preferred Easter to Christmas. I buy several bags of small eggs and a few big eggs, hide them all over then she gets her basket and finds them in the morning. I actually cannot fathom why people find this so offensive and awful

Bobishere · 04/04/2026 23:35

I have always done the Easter bunny- hunt in our house but have in recent years been clear that actually The Easter Bunny is just an idea and part of the fun. My thinking is that when the time comes for Father Christmas to not be real the philosophy is already in place.

scrivette · 04/04/2026 23:35

I am still awake because I have just finished the Easter egg hunt from the Easter Bunny. Rhyming clues to different places around the house with each clue having a gift (small eggs/chocolate) and leading to a bigger gift prize for the last clue. My parents used to do it for me so my DB and I have both carried on the tradition with our respective families. (I was born in the early 80’s).

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:36

My dc are in their twenties, and it wasn’t around then. We lived in two different areas growing up, and neither of them expressed views that Easter bunnies gave out eggs, Yes, we did Easter egg hunts in the garden, with finding eggs, or having a trial of clues, but it was a bit of fun, and nothing to do with a mysterious Easter bunny. They knew I organised it.

popcornandpotatoes · 04/04/2026 23:40

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:36

My dc are in their twenties, and it wasn’t around then. We lived in two different areas growing up, and neither of them expressed views that Easter bunnies gave out eggs, Yes, we did Easter egg hunts in the garden, with finding eggs, or having a trial of clues, but it was a bit of fun, and nothing to do with a mysterious Easter bunny. They knew I organised it.

Edited

I'm in my thirties and it definitely was around. Just because you didn't do it doesn't mean it didn't exist

Edit: I know the Easter bunny doesn't exist, but I mean the concept

bornwithhorns · 05/04/2026 01:52

I am 50 and we had a egg from the Easter bunny as did my children growing up now in their late 20’s
im quite shocked to read on here this evening that so many people apparently never knew of the Easter bunny

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 02:01

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 04/04/2026 08:12

When did the Easter Bunny become 'a thing'?

I'm sure it didn't exist when I was a child, we used to get a chocolate Easter egg and a boiled egg for breakfast which had a face painted on it.

I'm beginning to think I must have had a deprived childhood? We didn't have fridge until I was 10. And I never had a Gonk.

You never had a gonk??? How can your parents even call themselves that??

😂😂

Until your post I hadn't even thought about painted eggs this year. I don't have any little ones around this year 😢 so I've not really thought about the children's fun things & I don't eat eggs & wouldn't buy them just to paint.

Not sure where you grew up @Steelworks but I'm 57 & The Easter Bunny has been around my whole life.

@Starstencils he just brought chocolate eggs for me & mine. He's not like Santa!!

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 02:10

Steelworks · 04/04/2026 23:14

The Easter Bunny?! Never heard of this before, apart from in a general sense. Ie. Bunnies at Easter. I’ll be honest, and say it’s the first I heard of it, as an Easter Santa.

He's not an Easter Santa! Not in any sane household anyway! 🤣

he just brings the chocolate eggs. Sometimes he does a hunt & sometimes he just delivers some eggs.

occasionally he might leave a cuddly bunny or something to remind you of him!