Shame on Walgreens for Easter basket advertising!

y'know.. I remember the Easter bunny was the first Lie I realized
wasn't true when I found my mom's stash of basket goodies in the
closet in our basement's den. LIttle did I know my world would soon be
shattered when i found out about the tooth fairy and later Santa.

Did your child actually see the commercial? Did he/she ask "mommy, are
you the easter bunny?"

At least now he/she will know what to ask for instead of getting that
crappy Palmer's chocolate every year.

Ho, brother.

I thought the only thing the Easter bunny did was fill the baskets
full of eggs... not actually make the baskets.

Lying is lying.If you're okay with lying to your kids,make sure you
don't mind the same from them but remember:lies from a 5 year old are
quite different from lies of a 16 year old.

Children learn what they live.

Be prepared!

I'm very happy that in your little world this is your biggest problem.
Hope that as your kids grow to learn that life isn't so perfect, that
their world isn't so disrupted by a...COMMERCIAL!!!

Wait a minute, shame on Walgreens for having a commercial that shows
you're lying to your children???

I can understand your disappointment, but things like this happen all
the time, and that's where quick thinking comes in. Mamma can say,
"Well, the Easter Bunny brings our easter baskets, but sometimes
parents who can't be there will give their kids baskets too as a
present. Santa's not the only one who gives presents on Christmas."

Plus, it's not like they did it during a cartoon. It's Discovery
Health. And the fact that you have your children watching Discover
Health makes me very surprised that you'd purposefully deceive your
children with something as unbelievable as a bunny traveling the world
to bring you colored eggs and candy.

Easter (and all holdays) is NOT about gifts, presents, advertisements
& fictional characters anyway.
Teach your child what Easter really is. (Hint: It's religious)

...Wait. You are telling me there is no Easter Bunny! My whole
childhood was a lie? *sniff* Next you will tell me that Santa doesn't
exist and that the reindeer don't actually nibble on those carrots I
leave out at night!

*cough* sorry.

So I had to skip around and watch that commercial... I do not see how
it could give the "Easter Bunny is not Real" vibe at all. it's just
kids saying what the perfect Easter basket is. ((And the GIANT BUNNY))
that is standing there putting the basket together. I never heard the
word "parents" in the whole thing.

So how exactly is this damaging to any child's lie induced idea that
the Easter Bunny Exists? I am confused.

It took me all of 35 seconds to find the commercial on youtube.

The kids are seem talking about what makes a perfect basket. You
don't see WHO they are talking to.

Half way in, guess who you see filling a basket???

THE EASTER BUNNY!!!!

I have no idea why or how the OP managed to miss the huge white bunny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM5E0BGs2qA

Instead of writing to a complaint board about Walgreens ruining your
kid's Easter. Why didn't you take the time to teach your kid(s) about
how people are different and not everyone believes in the same things?

but it's a shame he ruined it for the other children.

because if you did, they would see the easter baskes, filler,
candy,toys etc. That Walgreens commercial isn't any different. They
sell Easter stuff.

People bring their kids in all the time and the parents still manage
to keep the lie going.

I like the commercial, I think it's cute. And never does it mention
the Easter Bunny.

If your child is old enough to understand a pie chart, and someone
EXPLAINING a pie chart--your child is old enough to understand about
the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Santa, St. Nick, and any other
imaginary gift giver. I've seen this ad more than once since your
post, and I really don't recall any reference to the Easter Bunny.

I'm almost 48, and the oldest of 3 kids. *My* Easter Bunny hid the
eggs that we dyed with our Mom. *My* Easter Bunny recycled the
baskets that we'd brought up from our basement. *My* Easter Bunny
quickly figured out that we didn't like Peeps.

I've seen the Walmart ad. That ad also suggests Easter Basket
additions, and how Walmart has lower prices than the "national"
drugstore chain.

Heck, *my* Easter Bunny brought me a brother when I was almost 7.

I am not sure how to respond to this seeing as how I have not seen the
ad. I remember when I was a little child and the day after Easter I
had to go to the cabinets under my parents sink for a Q-Tip and found
all the extra candy. My dad laughed and said the Easter Bunny now
orders all the candy from the stores because there are so many
children now and instead of giving other kids left over candy - he
leaves the rest for the parents. I believe it all depends on the
parents and how they deal w/ the questions that come up on if the
Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy or Santa real.

Actually I saw this commercial last evening...seems to me he is
instructing his parents in how to TELL the Easter Bunny how to
construct this basket. But I guess you can take it either way.

Something similar to this came up the other day in regards to a young
child in a public area being told that Santa Claus and the Easter
Bunny were the parents by another young child. Forgive my
lugubriousness.

I am not a parent. I do, however, remember things about being a child
that I think sometimes we forget when we become parents.

These are my issues with these kind of "traditions", from my personal
experiences:

1.) No matter how you sugar coat it, telling a child that it is Santa
Claus and the Easter Bunny who brings them presents IS a lie. Do you
want to encourage lying? I found this super conflicting when I was a
child with my parents HEAVY punishment of lying for "making up
stories."

2.) It teaches a belief that material objects come out of thin air,
and that people who don't get as great of things (because they are
poor or whatever) must be bad people because Santa didn't bring them
as great of stuff. I'd rather see a sense of cause/effect, generosity
and charity being instilled into children when they are young.
Believe me, a child can grasp these ideas just as well (if not better)
as Santa and the Bunny, and it will benefit them their entire lives.

3.) I had a lot of questions about Santa Claus, like why he didn't
bring certain poor people presents, or why we donated presents at
Christmas and why SC wasn't taking care of them and why we donated
money, etc. And beyond this why couldn't Santa just bring us
anything? I'd rather have been taught that SC and the EB were ideas,
games for fun. Presents cost money and have to come from somewhere,
but that's ok, we can do nice things for people because it is fun and
nice, not because of an invisible tradition. Instead of handling it
well when I asked my mother about these things (My brother and I had
found the receipts), she got angry that HER fun was spoiled and
decided to tell me that since I didn't believe that Santa Claus was a
real person who brought the presents, I wouldn't get presents for
Christmas anymore. It was a breach of trust that she lied, and a
bigger breach of trust when she flew off the handle about it when I
came to HER asking about it. There were MANY ways she could have
handled this better, but what it reveals to me as an adult is that
lying to your kids about Santa is REALLY more fun for you than it is
for your kids.

4.) And this, I would think, would be a big one for those who DO
celebrate the religious sides of Easter and Christmas: Do you want
your religious traditions (Or the God and beliefs you are trying to
teach to your children) to become "just another Santa Claus?" I feel
the SC/EB traditions lead to a weakening of a child's ability to trust
in a parent's teaching of intangible beliefs, such as the Divine. If
you have secular beliefs regarding holidays, those should take the
precedent and you should really leave out the easter bunny and santa
confusion anyway, because a child can't truly "believe" in a religion,
they can only believe in your belief (and teaching) of such and I'd
think you'd want their complete and undamaged trust. And I'd think if
they have questions about things like that, you'd want their trust
that you are giving them the answers to the best of your ability.

5.) Telling a child that SC/EB are the present bringers put your
child in a position where they will feel betrayed later when they find
out it isn't true, especially if they have been defending it to
others. Do you want your child to feel less likely to trust you to
answer them honestly if they have questions? Your children will deal
with conflicting ideas their entire life that you CANNOT spare them
from. Save your enthusiasm for ones that CAN'T be proven as falsities
and keep their trust for these issues and beliefs.

It comes down to your child trusting you. I'd much rather have that
for their lives than a few years of fun lies.

A parent in the former discussion said that she tells her kids the
parents are the helpers. I like this one best, no lying and it
doesn't conflict with whatever you choose to tell them later. If your
child is old enough to comprehend the commercial, they are old enough
to have those kind of ideas on their own.

The holidays ARE blatant commercialism.

Around age 8, I was fighting with my younger brother. He said that
Peter Cottontail was the EB's name. I insisted he was wrong. It was
a nasty fight.

My mom took me into my room, and told me that there is no EB, that the
parents do it, etc.

I was heartbroken, crying, etc. "FINE! Then that means there isn't a
Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy EITHER!"

Mom: "That's right."

WHAT?!?!?! All three belief bubbles, popped in 5 minutes.

I'd better get an extra $10K out of her will jsut to make up for the
emotional distress! ;)

First, I agree it should be the parent's call to clue a child in the
Easter bunny's reality, not some commercial. However, unless the
commercial blatantly says "THERE IS NO EASTER BUNNY", I really don't
see much wrong with it. When I was a kid, I got Easter baskets from
the "bunny." I also got Easter baskets from my grandparents, my aunts,
and friends of my parents (yeah, I was spoiled. So sue me.) Somehow I
managed to separate the bunny basket from the others.

Second, parents need to get a little creative with their explanations
should a child question the Easter bunny's reality. I mean, how do
parents handle explaining to a child how Santa manages to be in three
different malls at one time?

I'm not saying this isn't good feedback. I don't think it hurts to
give Walgreens a heads up that their commercial might be alienating
the very people they want to target. But I also don't think this one
commercial has the power to ruin a childhood vision of the Easter
bunny.

I agree.

On a local morning radio show, they were discussing the Easter Bunny,
but they used the words 'Eddie Bauer" so young children wouldn't know
what they were talking about (they did apretty good job at euphemisms
and vague references -- adults could figure it out, but not a
five-year-old kid).

I agree... it should be the parents' call as to when and what they
tell their kids, not some commercial.

I saw that commercial too and since my son is 16 it doesn't make a
difference in our household (his Easter baskets contain, not candy,
but power tools), but I can just imagine if my 2 year old niece or 6
year old nephew saw it.

And just for the record, we also know what Easter is really about -
the Easter bunny and the resurrection of Christ are not mutually
exclusive.

Oh no....Is the tooth fairy fake too?

You know, I'm not Christian, but I do know that Easter is a holy
holiday and it's not about Easter bunnies.

Also curious - you say "tonite, while watching...." I assume that
your child is very young if s/he still believes in the Easter Bunny -
what time was this? And I can't imagine a child young enough to
believe in the Easter bunny watching anything on discovery health!

you know, after reading all of the other posts, I wanted to chime in,
FWIW. Of course the easter Bunny isn't real and there is a greater
meaning to Easter that should be taught to the children of parents who
chose to do so. blah blah blah

Personally I think this is very valid feedback. The people that this
ad is geared toward are parents - any parent who is enjoying their
childrens awe and fascination with the Easter Bunny, Santa, Tooth
Fairy, etc does not want some commercial to steal that from them.

I talk to my kids about the spirit of the "character" if you will, but
when it comes time to discuss the tradition of Santa, EB we will have
a more detailed discussion.

I think this is great feedback and while they are doing nothing
"technically" wrong, they should take into consideration that they may
be irritating the very group they are targeting.

In closing - I remember the exact time that I found out that Santa
wasn't real - and it has been a looonnng time - but it ended a fun
tradition in my house and while it is inevitable, it shouldn't come
from WalGreens.

Maybe they could have done a similar theme but made it comical to
adults as well, but havig the EB shopping for things to make the
perfect basket. :)

How do you deal with all the Easter candy in every single store you
walk into? Doesn't that ruin the dream too?

In my family, the Easter Bunny did not bring a basket but rather would
hide candies and eggs around the house/yard. Did the commercial
explicitly "reveal" the Easter Bunny, or is this just a conclusion you
are making?

and realize you may be falling into the trap of the blatant
commercialism surrounding Easter.

Think about what the meaning of Easter is. If you spent time
reminding/teaching your children about Easter, they would be so awed
by it that when it came to their baskets, they would forget about what
was on tv and concentrate on what is "real" in their worlds. I'm sure
they will get just as much if not more meaning and joy from Easter as
they did before.

Isnt that exactly what you're buying into by teaching her the Easter
bunny brings her stuff?

Wait? the easter bunny isnt real? hes fake? my parents made up the
baskets?

how dare you spoil my childhood by making a post claiming this!

*sniff*

"GASP!!!!!!!"

Since that dream is shattered, perhaps teach your child about the true
meaning of Easter, the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.


Good Day

Oh no! Next they'll tell her Santa Claus isn't real!