This year, Easter weekend is taking on a whole new light: our company gave us Good Friday off as a holiday.  Now, the idea behind it was to help build in some holidays during the first half of the year.  Until 2013, we got New Year’s Day off…and then, it was a long haul until Memorial Day.  This year, we’re getting President’s Day and Good Friday off, to help us through that stretch and, so far, I’m liking it.

But I digress.  This was to be about Easter, which is about as holy as a day can get for Christians, yet the size of the celebration pales in comparison.  You see signs of Christmas coming as early as August, yet we have to get past St. Patrick’s Day for the store to fully embrace Easter.  This year, that meant two weeks of counting down the days.

It’s weird, but it seems like more stores are staying open on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  Yet, I can’t tell you how many times over the years, I would head to the mall with the family on Easter only to realize once we’re there, “Oh yeah, it’s closed.”

I find it interesting that, for Christmas, TV becomes a barren wasteland because they know people have lots of other things to do.  Yet, this year for Easter, TV is a battleground with an interesting matchup: the series finale of “The Bible” versus the season finale of “The Walking Dead.”

Both holidays have a person that breaks in to leave goodies.  Santa has a tougher job, because he has to come down a chimney and bring presents and candy to each house.  The Easter Bunny has it pretty easy–he just does the candy thing. I’m pretty sure he’s getting paid off by the American Dental Association.  Yeah, that’s what the kids of the world need more of—-things primarily made of sugar!

I’m curious–Santa comes in through the chimney…but how does the Easter Bunny get in?  Does he break into homes the rest of the year and do this annual visit just to cover his tracks and leave finger prints?  “Well, of course my prints were on the scene of the crime, your honor.  I’m the friggin’ Easter Bunny.”

Growing up, Easter was that holiday when my sisters and I would get up, head out to the living room and then find baskets full of candy.  Malted milk balls, hollow chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, etc.  Today, the Easter Bunny’s got a much tougher job because he’s gotta make sure he doesn’t give the wrong thing to the peanut allergy crowd, the gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free tikes that want to enjoy Easter like everyone else.

OK, I’ve rambled on enough.  Maybe it’s the excitement of having a three-day weekend to enjoy.  I hope this weekend is exactly what you want it to be.  If you have kids, it’s a chance to give them memories to last a lifetime, of egghunts and pretty baskets.  Enjoy your weekend and Happy whatever you’re celebrating: Easter, Passover or Eggza.

Tim Hunter