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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU for being annoyed that the only Easter egg hunts on over Easter...

101 replies

Facebookhurtsmybrain · 03/04/2012 11:44

are when people that celebrate Easter will be in church.

Kew Gardens always hold their Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday and by the time we get there after church all the eggs are gone.

This year I thought I would look for another Easter egg hunt and found that most are on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, in the morning when everyone that see Easter as a religious holiday will be in church.

I know that Easter isn't about the eggs but it would be nice to take part in the fun.

OP posts:
kittyandthefontanelles · 04/04/2012 00:10

Karma, I know all about the pagan-Christian links thank you. I was taught all about it in my convent school. My point was that secular people choose to follow Christmas and Easter because they get presents, food and booze out of it, otherwise they wouldn't be bothered.

inabeautifulplace · 04/04/2012 00:15

That is a bit unfair kitty. Christmas for me means quality time spent with family and friends. I don't do presents, and have a healthy relationship with food and booze all year round :)

LadyBeagleEyes · 04/04/2012 00:18

Well yes Kitty, presents, food, booze and fun.
Is that not what every 'festival' should be about?

SeaHouses · 04/04/2012 00:22

I'd be prepared to celebrate festivals that didn't involve food, alcohol and presents. A roller coaster festival, or a 1970s style dance festival. But it isn't really traditional to do those things at Christmas, and like most people, I do want to maintain traditions of my own culture with my family and friends.

Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 00:30

wow left this post for a while and came back and it's all turned egg shaped.

Which leaves me thinking what came first the chicken or the huge argument about religion... have you people just got back from the pub?

OP posts:
SeaHouses · 04/04/2012 00:49

I think we have been addressing your original post, FB.

Most people who celebrate Easter are not at church on Easter morning because most people who celebrate Easter are not religious and don't go to church.

So many Easter egg hunts don't fit in with the timetable of religious people.

kittyandthefontanelles · 04/04/2012 00:50

I seem to keep being misunderstood and accept that its my fault! I'm trying to say that eating, drinking, have time off work, spending time with family, giving presents, etc are all lovely things to do and I'm not saying that you are wrong in doing so. What I'm trying to say is that to me, to do all those things WITHOUT the Christ Mass and Jesus is not technically Christmas. Isn't it like saying "I'll celebrate Diwali but you can keep your Ram and Sita, its not about them"? Then its not Diwali is it? The whole purpose has been lost. It really doesn't matter, I'm not going to change anyone's minds, that's just my point of view. Also just to clarify, originally I didn't say Christmas was JUST for Christians I was saying it was technically a Christian festival. Noone can deny that, no matter what its origins. (Inabeautifulplace, I meant no offense. I'm trying to distinguish between a secular holiday and religious festival. You must admit, to many people it is about the presents and booze!)

Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 00:58

SeaHouses but my op didn't say that and I worded it very carefully as not to.

I said when everyone that see Easter as a religious holiday will be in church and not everyone celebrating Easter, as Easter is a public holiday so everyone celebrates it anyway.

OP posts:
SeaHouses · 04/04/2012 01:01

Of course Christmas is a Christian festival, and the culture of the UK is predominantly culturally Christian. It just is no longer Christian in a religious sense. The purpose of Christmas for most people is to participate in a shared culture and long tradition. Barbecues are about eating and drinking but they haven't replaced Christmas because they don't have the same cultural meaning and long shared tradition.

If the only purpose of Christmas was the birth of Christ, then most people would have stopped celebrating it by now, and would just have random family get togethers on days of their choosing.

SeaHouses · 04/04/2012 01:04

FB, your opening line was

AIBU that the only Easter egg hunts over Easter... are when people that celebrate Easter are in church.

But I agree that your later paragraph modified that a little.

It still doesn't explain why you think other people's cultural celebration at Easter should be timed to fit in with your religious celebration. Why do you think that?

inabeautifulplace · 04/04/2012 01:05

Kitty, of course for you, as a Christian those things will be central to Christmas. But they aren't relevant to a lot of people, who nevertheless celebrate Christmas for their own reasons. Your initial list in the post i replied to did paint secular people as a bit shallow imo so i'm glad you've clarified that.

Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 01:11

kittyandthefontanelles wow digging a big hole for yourself there (and I'm a Christian).

It's a public holiday and you take from it what you want. I choose to use the time to worship and spend Christmas day at my church with my fellow Christians. If someone wants to spend it at home with their family being thankful for what they have then let them. Taking time to slow down and enjoy your family is as important to non Christians as Spending time with God is for Christians.

I love going to midnight mass and seeing all the drunk teenagers turning up. Sitting at the back and you can see that they are really moved by all of it. You're making us Christians sound like nutters that want everyone that doesn't believe to be out working.

Can you kindly please stop.

OP posts:
Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 01:17

SeaHouses missed that one Blush

I'm just saying why should us Christians miss out on all the fun. After all it is Easter and seen in this country as a religious holiday by some.

OP posts:
kittyandthefontanelles · 04/04/2012 01:18

Er, Facebook, if you read my last post again I really didn't say any of that.

Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 01:29

kittyandthefontanelles you are kinda saying that. Your saying why celebrate Christmas if you're not a Christian.

OP posts:
SeaHouses · 04/04/2012 01:30

Well they shouldn't FB. Ideally, there should be Easter egg hunts on at a variety of times to suit people with different plans. As another poster said, the national trust do seem to have egg hunts and trails on all over the Easter weekend. As it happens, I am at my parents (who are very religious) and we are going to an egg hunt on the Monday at a NT property.

I know some churches do egg hunts after the service on Easter morning. When I was a child, our church celebrated the resurrection as soon as it got dark on the Saturday, and Lent was considered over at that point. That does mean 3 consecutive evenings in church though, from Thursday to Saturday, which is a bit much for little children.

kittyandthefontanelles · 04/04/2012 01:39

No I'm saying if the celebration doesn't involve the birth of Jesus it 'technically' isn't Christmas. If I wanted non believers to work at Christmas and not celebrate then I would be alone at home because my husband doesn't believe at all. I suppose my point is an exercise in semantics. Where above have I said anyone shouldn't be celebrating anything at all? this is a Christian country so it is a public holiday and I thought I clarified with my exchange with beautifulplace that I'm not having a go at the secular community, my beloved included!

bruxeur · 04/04/2012 01:53

Jesus was actually born in March or thereabouts, wasn't he? Have we just missed the party?

WalkingOnLego · 04/04/2012 02:24

Op i believe there is a lindt chocolate bunny hunt by tower bridge / potters field on Saturday 7th

Original poster
Facebookhurtsmybrain · 04/04/2012 02:30

WalkingOnLego I'll check that one out. thanks

OP posts:
sashh · 04/04/2012 03:06

Ditto. I was bought eggs but had never heard of the concept of an Easter egg hunt until the last few years. Is this another "tradition" imported from America or is it something that has only been common in certain parts of the country until recently?

I think it's one of those pagan things that used to happen then was banned. The easter bunny is actually a hare and there is some bird that lays eggs in fields arund the time hares are breeding hance the thinking that it was the hares laying the eggs.

So the origional egg hunts were real birds' eggs.

Facebookhurtsmybrain

could you get a friend/neighbour to hide eggs while you are at church, maybe in your garden. You could invite a few of your DCs friends.

WalkingOnLego · 04/04/2012 03:16

My pleasure - hope Im correct. How funny that it is 3 in the morning and many are awake and debating

lollopybear · 04/04/2012 07:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fedupofnamechanging · 04/04/2012 08:06

For me kitty, you, as a Christian are choosing to celebrate the birth of Jesus at the same time as I, a non Christian, am enjoying a cultural tradition.

I do get what you are saying, but disagree that technically it is about the birth of Christ - that is the bit you are celebrating, but I am just taking part in a cultural event that pre dates the timing of a Christian celebration.

QueenSconetta · 04/04/2012 08:11

Sorry if this has been said (cba to read 4 pages) but Cadbury's and the National Trust for Scotland do various ones round here and they are on for 3 days 10 - 5. Maybe something similar near you?