Get rid of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. We only need Jesus.

[MariaG]

I didn’t vote either, none of the options fit my opinion.

Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny do not have the power to detract from Christ. He will have our attention if we give it to Him.

I think we can have both and still keep the important things at the center of the celebrations.

Yup. One can focus on the TRUE SPIRIT of HOLY DAYS while also allowing Santa and the Easter bunny to visit. But those who feel it takes away from or are unable to keep the focus on Christ while having visits from Santa or the Easter Bunny should certainly refrain from doing so.

 

[cecilia97]

“Mommy the lamb represents Jesus I think the Easter Bunny must be telling me something. The Easter bunny must be Christian.”

Kids are awesome.

 

[a_cermak]

Notice how Santa Claus, every year, forces WinterFest to be held on or around December 25th, and the Easter Bunny forces Spring Holiday to occur on the weekend of Easter Sunday, despite the fact that it occurs on a different date each year.

Personally, I think we need to have a greater appreciation for our magical friends.

I was amused to see our company’s schedule of holidays recently. They list them by nation because different nations celebrate different holidays (e.g. the British celebrate the Queens B-day–the Irish not so much). For every nation listed, UK, Ireland, Iceland, Finland it had 6 Apr as Good Friday. For the U.S. 6 Apr Spring Holiday. I had to laugh!

 

[Sabda]

I didn’t feel I could vote either. I think the key to the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus is to keep them in perspective. For example, make Jesus the main dish and the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus the side dishes.

We really didn’t talk about the Easter Bunny this year. In fact I don’t think I even mentioned him. My kids did get Easter baskets that had small stuffed bunnies, chocolate, a prayer card with the Glory Be on it, and each child got a book about Jesus or Mary.
My mother also got them little baskets with a few pieces of candy, a stuffed lamb for my daughter and some cars for my son as well as a small statue of the Holy Family for each of them.

For Christmas the kids received several books on their faith, including a prayer book and prayer cards. We also read this book on Santa.
On both holidays we always spend our evenings leading up to those holy days reading those parts of the Gospel that pertain to those particular days.

BTW, on the evening of Easter my 3 yr old son looked at my dh and in a very serious voice said “Jesus said alleluia today”. My dh looked at me with a smile and then back at our son and said “yes He did.”

 

[exoflare]

You should have put down an option for “I don’t give a *** either way”

 

[Jedda]

I didnt vote, I DO believe Jesus is the focused but i don’t see why we can give 20% to kids for fun and 80% focus on the major things. IMO

 

[RLT]

The Easter bunny has gone gone far beyond just leaving eggs and candy. It has become the Spring version of Santa Claus. People in the Mall line up in droves to get their kids to take pictures. People(Kids/adults) receive substantial gifts(toys,electronics, etc.) and I even heard a woman ask her son in a bookstore “isn’t this the book you asked the Easter bunny for”.

 

[Sixtus]

I think Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny takes away Jesus Christ in these two important Christian Holy Days.

We live in a culture which enjoys celebrating.

I suggest we celebrate more on the other great Catholic Feasts too

 

[maryjk]

As an American Catholic, raised in Europe, I had NO IDEA this so-called “Easter Bunny” was anywhere near a church until I came back to the USofA at the age of 18. Come to find out, this “Easter Bunny” actually hopped around these “Protestant” churches (something else I was rather unfamiliar with).

I still find this to be all a rather “Protestant” (heretical) event, as my own parish has no such part in ANY “Easter Bunny” activities - I’m guessing the American parents bring their kids to the local Methodist church for their Easter egg hunts and what-not, I don’t know…all I know is that our Irish pastor has NEVER put on any type of “Easter activity”, besides Stations of the Cross outside.

Also, we don’t have any type of “Santa Clause” either during Advent/Christmas. As a matter of fact, we don’t have a Christmas tree until Christmas Day - is that common?

No, we do them in our own homes.

Our church does not have an egg hunt or any other secular activity during Lent or Easter. Same with Christmas. Santa doesn’t come to the church. He comes to our homes, just like Father Christmas in England.

And I agree with some of the others here. Having Santa or the Easter Bunny does not have to take away from Jesus. If you ask my son what Christmas is about, he will tell you the Birth of Christ and Easter is about the Risen Lord, not Santa and the Easter Bunny.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

I voted: Yes. Jesus Christ should be focus.

I do not put up any Christmas or Easter decorations. I do get Christmas presents, but only for immediate family members.******

 

[Zooey]

My 5 year old knows why we celebrate the Holy Days. My mother asked her “What happens today?” on Sunday and she quickly answered, “Jesus rose from the dead!”

In contrast;
Saturday night:
KIDDO: Tell me that Easter Bunny Story
ME: what do you mean?
KIDDO: You know, you leave presents when I sleep… what’s the part with the bunny?
ME: (a bit caught off guard, I told her about how the Easter Bunny comes when Children are sleeping and leaves candy and eggs in a basket. I also mentioned how the Easter bunny hides the eggs for egg hunts.)
Kiddo: (laughed hysterically for a long time before speaking) That’s the silliest thing I ever heard! Why would people tell that?
ME: Because it’s fun, of course.

My kid is too serious.

See, you have a child who understands the difference between make believe & reality!!
That’s what kids should be able to do…Have a lot of fun with the idea of fantasy, without it ever detracting from the sacredness of the holidays!!

 

[colliric]

I think Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny takes away Jesus Christ in these two important Christian Holy Days.

So here is a poll.

I agree, but it’s more urgent with Christmas because Santa Claus is really a Catholic Saint, I’m not sure he would approve of what they’ve done to his image and original legendary heroism through his anonymous gift giving for the poor.

Heck in his home town, in the town square they replaced the original statue of the very real Saint Nicholas, with a “jolly fat man in a red suit” and put the old one at the back of the Church. I think the commercialization has gone too far. Not only does Christmas need to be rescued from corporations pushing the buck, but for the exact same reason, so does the dignity and image of a Catholic Saint. I wonder if we should as a community, be more vocal about that.

We need to change the thinking we subconsciously put into our children’s minds about why people receive presents on Christmas, We need to tell our kids that Santa Claus is a real Saint in heaven and that he celebrated Christmas for a different reason than just receiving nice gifts.

 

[colliric]

Well “Santa Claus” is fine, but not as part of Christmas - we should maintain the European tradition that existed before Coca-Cola took over Christmas and commercialized it, and celebrate St. Nicholas on his Feast Day, which is December 6. growing up in Poland, St. Nicholas left presents for children on the night of December 5. Christmas, on the other hand, had nothing to do with St. Nicholas - presents appeared under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve when the first star appeared in the sky (of course the adults convinced all the children that we should go watch for the star in a different room than the one the tree was in - better view ) to symbolize Christ coming into the world as the ultimate gift for humanity.

As for the Easter Bunny - totally pagan any way you look at it, and I see no use for this tradition whatsoever. It only takes away from the meaning of Easter.

my point exactly.

 

[peary]

I think Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny takes away Jesus Christ in these two important Christian Holy Days.

So here is a poll.

We DON’T worship either Santa Claus or the Easter bunny. We worship and acknowledge Christ as our Lord on these two important holy days. Claus and the bunny are secular culture icons. You need to separate the two.