So this upcoming Sunday happens to be Easter Sunday for most religious folks. For the Grant household...it is just another day. Or is it? Scott and I realized that this holiday will be celebrated by not just Mat's grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, but by most of the people at his school. So Easter bunny this, and Passover that...how do we as his parents get the idea within him, that those are some of many things that occur around this date? Along with the idea, that he does not have to participate in those ideas or beliefs if he does not want to do so. (Though he will, because what kid doesn't like the idea of a big bunny.) Enter a conversation that Scott and I had with other parents at Reason Rally about creationism stories.
Essentially the conversation revolved around introducing several ideas together, not leaning on one primary focus. So when introducing creation stories, introduce several culture's beliefs at the same time. This approach will be the one we take this Sunday. My mother wished for 'her little family' (as she calls us) to get together. This is more than fine, but it is also of the habit to get together at Easter. So we informed her, that we do not wish to call the get together an 'Easter Celebration', but would prefer to call it a family gathering.
At the gathering, I know my mom (who is religious, but respects how we are raising Mat and Tempe) would probably appreciate a nod to her beliefs. What we will attempt to do is to explain various cultures beliefs of 'Easter' around the world. We will explain Easter from the Christian sense, and how it is celebrating the resurrection of Christ, along with the Jewish Passover. We will mention that the word, Easter, has Anglo-Saxon paganism roots referring to a goddess. She was goddess of the dawn, and those worshiping her held feasts in her honor during the month of April. We'll discuss the Western theme of the Easter Bunny and egg decoration, that the egg is widely used as a symbol of the start of new life, just as new life emerges from an egg. There are several other cultural events that occur around this time of year, so we will probably pick a few more as well to discuss over lunch/dinner.
They (my mom and sister) wish to give Mat and Tempe gifts (as the standard basket and bunny celebration happens.) I asked that they don't say the 'Easter bunny' got them, but instead say they wanted to give them something. (This to me means so much more than receiving gifts from a fictional character.) My mom is taking this opportunity to be creative in how she presents them gifts, and will be requiring the kids to complete a 'treasure hunt' for location of the gifts. I thought that was a great idea! She'll give them clues that they have to rationalize and figure out in order to obtain their gift.
Again to us, we just want Mat and Tempe to make a choice as to what he believes. We don't want to deprive either one of them of anything.
Don't forget the spring thing. That's how we've explained the whole egg thing to Jonah. Because even though we aren't coming at it from the same place, we also think the Easter egg hunt is pretty weakly ties to the religious celebration.
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