To have taken them down...

[jackieweaverforpm]

Apologies for the cryptic title.

It's Easter Sunday next week and being slightly strange as we are, we usually put up decorations for Easter. We were all set to do that today with some crafting stuff happening this morning. Instead of the lovely day I had anticipated, I experienced a two hour grump fest from DD2 about the crafting, a moan from DD1 when I asked her to make some Easter cards (this is something she is really good at and a hobby really) and then further grumping from DD2 about the decorations (crying and stropping about what should go where). I do try to make Easter special and especially this year which has been pretty shite let's face it. I have a mountain of nice stuff upstairs for next weekend and instead I think sod it. I'll have a bloody break instead. I've taken the decs down and I'm having a coffee instead. I am thoroughly knackered after a really tough few weeks at work and I have had my fill.

@jackieweaverforpm I think you've had a hard time here. You sound like a lovely mum. I hope the dc have a change of heart.

Why don't you sit and make the cards and let your teenager relax after a hard week at school?

I'd have loved this at 6 or 13 but perhaps not first thing on a Sunday 😊

@Doyoumindfisithere All the shop sell is chocolate eggs, chocolate sets and hot cross buns where I am. Nothing at all like that link, which does have some nice things on it. Come to think of it, the newsagents/paper shops probably do sell Easter cards but I never really noticed them as they were more the sort you give to little kids.

My Easter decorations are a celebration of spring. I've got rabbit candle holders and we buy spring scented candles. So the same greenery around my mirror but with clip on flowers and birds. A twig tree but with painted eggs on. Wooden tulips and spring animals (thanks to Lidl). Wooden Easter signs and pastel coloured knomes. Willow twigs with homemade hanging decorations. This year I'm making a wreath out of the small chicks.
I'm my grandchildren's childcare. The 6 year old wants to make paper mache eggs (out of balloons) and cut them so they are nests for her baby Yoda's, the 3 year old will probably put her Peppa pig figures in hers. We've bought bonnet decorations for the nests. Traditionally you'd do Easter baking.

OP, I would have started on Monday.

I love having the house decorated for Easter... my teens are growing out of it but still want it to happen iyswim. Thing about teens is its v hard to catch them at the right moment for family fun.

[quote Doyoumindfisithere]The pinnacle of course is found in Good Housekeeping

www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/easter-ideas/g2217/easter-decorations/[/quote]
That flower centrepiece looks beautiful!

A thought just occurred to me - it's Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere now, so that may explain the lack of wreaths and floral things as an Easter tradition where I am.

Mine are definitely more tired this year than normal, the return to school was mentally draining I think. In these circs I would do what I wanted and see what they fancied helping me with, I wouldn't have a fixed idea of what they had to get done.

I think the desire to cheer our children up is quite string at the moment, but I try to resist this as they usually want a bit of space and then come back out of their hidey-holes.

@Cokie3 I have just learnt about the Easter Bilby in Australia from Dr Google, apparently the Easter Bunny is a bad omen (presumably because rabbits were imported?).

You may be somehwere else of course, I was just reading generally!

You clearly enjoy the Easter crafts and decoration. They didn’t want to join in yesterday for whatever reason-shattered probably. I’d suggest it again one day this week, but if they didn’t fancy it, I’d put some nice music and good coffee/cake on and enjoy doing it myself anyway. You’ll be happy because it’s done-they might even join you, but don’t push it. If you have to give a 13 to do their hobby, it’s not fun and not their hobby.

I feel for you @jackieweaverforpm, you wanted to have some nice family time, there's nothing wrong with that. But at 13 the eldest is potentially unlikely to want to join in and that will defo rub off on the youngest. Have a big cup of tea and some biscuits and let it go. There will be other people times. Maybe just try with the youngest next time and the eldest might decide to join in herself, it will be more natural and fun that way too

A 13 year making Easter cards? Yeah then after that they could visit their grand parents for an afternoon of tea and stories from the 1950's

Everyone has different ideas of what they want to do. In this instance, you wanted everyone to play your choice of game and enjoy it on your timing. They didn't feel like it because the mood wasn't on. Fair enough. It's not a character issue. They had other desires. You're disappointed so you martyrishly stropped. Your children will know next time they gave to give you your way and have fun on your terms or you will be petulant.

What a lovely apprehension to have around festive occasions.

have

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Easter is the holiday I relish minimal input in/effort tbh. We arent religious. It's a day my kids get a chocolate egg, and if someone else organises an egg hunt we join in.

Decorations and cards? Fuck that.

Exactly this.

Do you follow a lot of influencers on Instagram OP? I ask because I've definitely noticed a trend of women becoming very frustrated that their lives/children aren't some living hallmark card on MN. And the other times I've asked, it turned out that they were sad their lives weren't like that.

Ah @Cokie3 that would make sense - difficult to celebrate Easter as a spring festival when it’s right in the middle of your autumn and the religious aspect is rather somber so again not flowers, chicks, cards and pastel house decs!

Do you have a similar spring festival in October/November? (Totally ignorant so apologies, I’m off to google, this is why I love mumsnet, it hadn’t occurred to me to look into how the Southern Hemisphere celebrates spring festivals!)