Yup. I distain the Easter Bunny. Sorry folks.

I really don't mind Easter egg hunting. In fact, I kinda like it.  As an adult hiding them is kind of fun, it's nice when you are a kid to have something that is suspenseful. And, lets be honest we all love some candy.  Of course some of it is silly and excessive but that is what holidays do best.

I also kinda like the whole bunnies and chicks and eggs thing.  They are symbols of fertility- you know bunnies get it on like well...bunnies and chicks and eggs are about new life and fertility in a pretty obvious way.  So at a time of year when the whole world is exploding with life it makes sense that Christianity and Christian culture retained (or stole) some symbols from other traditions.  So I don't actually mind those symbols at all. If anything, I like them.

Link

But...

But man, oh man, if you thought I didn't like Santa Claus I have discovered a whole new level to "this is the stupidest and most meaningless symbol to add to a holiday ever" category.  Yup, there it is.  All you who have given your children baskets of goodies left to them by a giant bunny or all those who have been told that a bunny is off hiding eggs I think that this is ridiculous.  I'm sorry.  I don't hate you, and if you invited us over to your house to have our children pick up eggs that the "Easter Bunny" had left there we would dubiously go along with it.  But seriously if you expect me to be excited about my child sitting on the lap of some horribly underpaid and overly sweaty person in a bunny costume so that I can have a photo to post to facebook...it ain't gonna happen.

I think there are several layers of discomfort for me in this.

Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny

1. I just don't understand the creation of mythical figures as gift givers.  Why can't we give gifts to one another as people. I seriously do not understand (please if you get it I would appreciate some dialogue) why we have created an Easter bunny who gives people things.  Why can't we just do it ourselves?   Why does the Easter bunny need to leave my kids crap (the next question that I am not even going to ask is- why the hell do we even need more stuff on Easter anyway?!).  Why can't I just leave my kids baskets of crap and get some credit for it!

2.  For me, as a Christian, Easter is a BIG FREAKING DEAL!  If I really believe that Jesus was raised from the dead- that's some crazy and awesome stuff!  (believe me some days I find it less than believable) So for me I want to move into theology, into meaning making into How does this belief impact my life and how do I celebrate it!!!!!???? Not, into Easter bunnies....

3.  I also think that as humans we are drawn to story.  I think that in our stories we make meaning.  Even if our story is "fact."  Our stories deeply impact culture they impact our understandings of human nature, the meaning of life etc.  When we use these (seemingly to me) random things like giant bunnies or elves on shelves or whatever without them being part of our bigger story about life, love, meaning making, I guess I just think it's vapid.

Finally, I guess a lot of people would just say "it's fun"  or "why over think it." and I say.  Hell, you do whatever you want but I don't like fun.  I like thinking.  Okay I was told not to end it like that.  I don't like the kind of fun that is doesn't make sense in any other part of my life.  I think that life is the most "fun" when it is also meaningful...and I like to think.