Bunnies and Crosses

Easter is a hard thing to explain to a little child. Betrayal. Violent death. Sadness. Resurrection. Difficult stuff for adults to grasp, never mind a 3-year-old. I remember trying to tell the Easter story to my daughter when she was little. After the resurrection part, her eyes got big and she said, "Oooh! A ghost story!" Well, yeah, I can see how you'd think that. Hm.

That same daughter now wants to explain to GrandBoy what's happening this week.

There is more to this time of the year than bunnies, duckies, and chocolate eggs (though we love all of them) for us Christians. Yes, we have renewal, springtime, longer and warmer days. How bunnies got connected to eggs, I'll never know, but there's something lovely about baskets, colorful clothes, and little children running around outside seeking magical eggs and jelly beans. But as pretty as this spring ritual is, it's not the reason we honor Easter.

The story of betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection is central to our faith. But that story is almost impossible to explain to literal-minded toddlers. Christmas is easy. A baby is born. Wise men, shepherds, and angels turn up with gifts and singing. It's Baby Jesus that a little child first comes to love because loving a baby is natural, understandable, literal.

But now comes the part of the story where that sweet babe has grown up and is nailed to a cross. (Yes, honey, that's why we have crosses everywhere . . . Oy.) And then, voila! After three days, the little grown up baby who died brutally, is alive again! Even adults - believers and non-believers - have big problems with all of that; they at least understand more complex concepts of personal sacrifice and salvation and faith. But a little child doesn't have that understanding. It's a literal, hard-edged world for them. Let's face it, bunnies are easier than crosses.

Christian parents struggle with this every year. We want our children to understand the reason for our faith, but that foundation is very hard to explain to a little child without causing trauma and nightmares. Yes, we necessarily soften it up, but even then, it's not an easy thing. All I can say is that we do the best we can, hoping our children eventually move beyond "Oooh! A ghost story!" phase.

If any of you have ways of telling the story or can recommend wonderful children's books that do a commendable job of introducing a little child to the Easter story sans bunnies and duckies, please share. We have both of the books pictured, by the way, and The Best Thing About Easter does gently deal with the Christian Easter story.

In the meantime, we'll do our best to make some headway, knowing that the bunnies and eggs will probably win the day, at least for a few more years. Happy Easter to all!