Easter - Going too far?

Ok, I like a holiday. I like the seasonal decorations. I like candy. I like a bribe to hold over the guys to get good behaviour. But, Easter? Is telling them the Easter Bunny is real cool?

My husband is going out of town, don't ask, but yes, another ski venture is beckoning him. So I thought maybe we should have the Easter Bunny visit a week early. I love this age! We wrote a note to the Bunny, taped it to the living room window (facing out), explaining that Daddy was heading out of town, so we'd like him to come early. Also asking the Easter Bunny to bring something not too small and not too big. And that his little brother should get a visit as well.

Remembering Santa, my ring leader in all things including "prizes", thought we should go a bit further and leave a snack for the Easter bunny. Well, Saturday night found me carrot-less, but it turns out Pringles will work. However, the Pringles needed to be placed in the hall leading to the elevator. When I went to pick them up after lights out, they were gone. I owe my neighbor around the corner with a dog an explanation (he's very cool. Although single, he seems to get all the "kid" stuff).

After story time, before lights out, the questions started, "Is there really an Easter Bunny? Is he big? Is he fat? Can he bend over? (apparently he's decided Chris Kringle is too fat to bend over) Where does he live?" ending with my personal favorite, "Does Santa and the Easter Bunny have play dates?"

But it is also the last question which makes me wonder if I'm taking things a bit too far. Well, next weekend, on Easter proper, we are having an Easter egg hunt with a group of families in our neighborhood. About 10 families will converge on our house, I'll send the daddies to the park across the street with the goodies and then the kids will attack. I'm not sure how I'm going to explain this activity? But I also think if he wants to believe he's likely to provide his own rational. As to DS2, if DS1 is along for the ride, he refuses to be left behind. Somehow, I don't really think DS2 is as much of a believe though, not yet.