To think it’s easter not christmas?

[backagainohdear]

What is going on with easter these days?
My social media is full of photos of piles of easter eggs, toys & clothes!
Mine got one each (well a tub of haribo for one as he doesn’t like easter eggs.)
AIBU to think people go over the top in some weird bid to show off?

We have asked family not to do eggs for DS as he still has Easter chocolate left from last year (he doesn't eat a lot of chocolate), some have got him a book instead which I think is fine

I’ve bought my niece an Easter bunny tshirt one year, she was christened in Catholic Church but they’re not Catholic. Was to get her into school but then they moved to other end of country.

I got my toddler nephew duck eggs as he loves hard boiled eggs but he got a smarties egg too.

I've just seen one were she bought clothes, piles of eggs bikes and many other toys for all three of her kids, I get it as I'm a mum of 4 it's lovely to spoil our children but on Easter no, it's falling into literally a rabbit hole on what easter is really about, im not religious but at least I know why we have Easter, the meaning of it has long gone because of "trends". Anyways I let people crack on with whatever, who am I to judge I just stay away from social media or scroll past the post, my boys got 1 egg medium sized, notepads cuddly teddies and bath bombs (Easter themed), we'll have a lovely Easter lunch and yummy Easter themed cake later.

Each to their own and all that, happy Easter 🐰.

I did get my nephews Easter clothes when younger but just looked and the 7 year old wouldn’t be seen dead in some of the clothes! 🤣

I dont know why people play along with this consumerism. I guess the pressure from the shops etc. is too high.

Mmm, there's quite a backstory being invented here. It is actually possible for people to have some disposable income, budget it and spend it.

Two sepetate issues really. Should people spend Easter in any way they see fit? And is SM competitiveness perpetuating superficial capitalism? I'd say yes and yes.
Its a shame when every aspect of life becomes a performance and people feel pressure to spend a lot of money just because its a certain time of year.
However, I do get a bit tired of the moral gatekeeping of Easter. It's a period of time based on a Christian festival, which Christians may spend as they wish. Other people who have basically had it thrust upon them despite not being Christians, can either ignore it or make the most of the holiday in any way they choose. Something can't 'lose its meaning' for those for whom it never had a meaning in the first place.

Easter meant church and eggs as a kid. No new clothes though, in spite of being a catholic family. Mum used to hide the eggs in our very small house.

We've always done an egg hunt and an outside activity. I've got pictures of kids in local parks in all weathers (the snow hunt was particularly mad!), with cross friends or family. As they've got older, we've tended to go out for a long walk. They have a 3 eggs and a bar of chocolate each (teenagers+ small family).

Mumsnet is the only social media I use so it's not because of that here. It's simply because I love treating my DC, can afford to and I like decorating etc.
Other people aren't obliged to make effort for theirs if they don't want to but there's no need for them to criticise just to make themselves feel better that they don't.

Eh 70s kid. We only got an Easter egg or more for Easter. Nothing else. Later on money or other gift.

A memorable Easter I must’ve been 10 or so. I made an Easter bonnet and entered it into our local papers Easter bonnet competition. It won first prize and I got photo in paper as well as a huge Easter egg. I never won anything so this was mega!

No social media here and no toys or presents besides eggs.

We get DS a egg or two from us and then the Easter bunny hides small eggs in the garden for DS to hunt. That's it here. We don't decorate either. But we do Easter crafts. Easter bonnet, egg painting, etc. And make Easter Bakes like mini egg nest cakes.

Have also given him a fiver today for the boot fair!

He gets enough at christmas and birthdays present wise. Doesn't need more presents at Easter!

How rude are you?

I once saw a Easter basket with a Nintendo Switch in it!

when did we come so obessed with showing off for social media?

Err, five minutes after social media began?!

As with everything, you choose what you do. It's all about the chocolate in our house with eggs and a little hunt set up. People are free to enjoy it the way they want to.

One thing I'd note is that it's a natural time for kids to get new clothes anyway with Spring (and hopefully then summer) upon us. I think part of it is attached to looking forward to the warmer months ahead, which ties in with the timing of Easter, or rather the Spring Equinox, which actually dictates the timing of what we celebrate as Easter.

I'm slightly Meh about how people choose to spend Easter..it's their money and as long as it is affordable for them, I guess it's not a problem. We'll spend Easter weekend with the family coming back home, Church this morning, Roast Lamb in the oven and then this afternoon a lovely walk on the beach with the dog before home for hot cross buns and tea. Blissful. We'll have a couple of eggs to devour later. I think because of my faith and age, I value time and being together with friends and family rather than gifts - plus I can't bear the clutter! But each to their own.

It is (&was) pagan befire the Christian's hijacked it. Bunnies & eggs all the way!

As a sidenote, a do enjoy a little seasonal decorating and have a Spring wreath. Some might say it's consumer rubbish, but I derive pleasure from acknowledging the seasons and celebrating what each one has to offer.

I think the less religious we're becoming on general, the more back to nature we also get.

I don't do any of the 'boxes', no boo box, xmas eve or Easter. But I have always bought xmas pyjamas! Today is boiled eggs and hot cross buns for breakfast, maybe a bit of egg blowing and painting, a roast later, and watching films and munching on chocolate eggs all day.

Is it a rod for their own back or for other people who feel obliged to compete?

From my parents I got a new clothes (Catholic) and a small gift (because mum said we got enough chocolate from everyone else) and grandparents, aunts uncles each got us an egg. My aunty occasionally got us a teddy or wind up toy too.

I knew I was quite spoilt at Easter but I was always grateful. Theres nothing to say these kids arent being taught gratitude and its a special day

If these people want to spoil their children for Easter and can afford too I dont see the problem. Even if its Birthday Easter Halloween and Christmas theyre spoilt its 4 days a year.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain ah see this sounds like heaven to me! I'm a 90s baby and I remember decorating eggs and entering competitions, egg hunts in the garden and receiving 1 big egg and crafts because I was a big crafty kid and still a crafty person!. It's a shame social media and influences make it more than what it is.

I’m 70 now & when we were children, we each had around 15 boxed Easter eggs from friends and family. I used to love it and l lined them all up in a row. We were allowed to eat them whenever we wanted too … no rationing just a chocolate fest!
Our home was always an open house with visitors dropping in daily. My mum always offered every visitor a cup of tea and food … usually cake and / or a sandwich. Most people also gave children money when they came to visit. We had large piggy banks which we filled with coins. I would spend hours tipping mine out and counting the coffers. I’ve gone off the thread a bit but they are happy memories!

I never used to acknowledge Easter really as we do not attend church - I'd buy one egg for the DC, but never did any events, special dinner, etc, and before the DC started school, I wouldn't book any time off.

However, it did change a bit during covid. In 2020, it became a bit of an occasion, since there was nothing else to do. We decorated a bit, did an egg hunt, and a craft basket. Some of that has stuck. And why not - I hate this time of year, it has been a long winter, and it is still freezing.

Now, my kids get one egg each and a handful of little ones from a mini egg hunt. We actually did it last Tuesday, as we are on holiday and it made sense to get the chocolate at the start of the week, rather than on the last day.

I have to say though, it is far less of an occasion for my DC now than it was for me as a child. I used to get three or four eggs from various family. Decorating a boiled egg and rolling it down a hill was a big thing. There was a big event at church then a special roast dinner. I might have even got a new outfit for church on some years.

Oh the irony.

the Christians hijacked the Pagan Festival!

We always bought DS1 a new computer games at Easter, as his birthday is close to Christmas, so it was another time in the year he got the chance to choose something he was excited for.

Our younger 2 have birthdays 6 months apart, so we tend to buy them something small on the other's birthday. DS1 is an adult now, so Easter is just a chocolate egg occasion in this house.

We absolutely do not do, boo boxes, elf on the shelf or Xmas Eve boxes. If they want a Halloween costume, they can have one and we spend a bloody fortune at Christmas as it is.