Pascha….

Hippity, Hoppity, Easter’s on it’s way…So while we’re in Lent…still preparing to celebrate together at the end of these 40 days, I thought it apropos to mention something about this holiday. Watching a Wal-Mart commercial the other day, it brought up a topic I never really gave much thought to before being a parent of a child who can semi-understand what’s going on around her.

In the Wal-Mart ad, a mom says something to the effect of: “With Wal-Mart’s prices, I can afford to put more in their Easter Baskets this year!”

As excited as I am that she’s saving money, it also made me wonder how many kids turn to their parents, and ask if she’s somehow “helping out” the Easter Bunny, who we all know is the one who actually fills those baskets. Surely no child will watch that commercial, and have their dreams crushed….right?

I’m sure we have friends who believe it’s “lying” to tell your children fanciful tales such as Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. And I’m sure we probably have friends who will obsess and stress over it to the point of being really disappointed when their child somehow figures out the truth.

(not having discussed this with my wife much, really)….I think we’re somewhere in the middle. It’ll be fun, playing along and pretending. But when they figure it out, we will have great discussions on the true meanings and stories behind these holidays, and still have some fun pretending. I’m at peace with this. But Wal-Mart…is it too much to ask that you at least say something like, “With Wal-Mart’s prices, the Easter Bunny (wink) can put more in their baskets this year!”

Also, side note….as Wal-Mart’s cheap prices on cheap chocolate continue to cheapen….is it really better to continue buying more chocolate to fill up those baskets? I think their diets are already bad enough. Give your kids some fruits and nuts with their Marshmallow Peeps this year, and make some sort of “baked” product together as a family….giving you time to talk about Christ rising (maybe even while the dough is rising…cause Christians are cheesy like that).