The Easter Bunny's Encounter of the Christmas Spirit
by: Samantha Schrader

“Here you go,” whispered the Easter Bunny as he handed a chocolate egg to the small boy in front of him. “Are you excited about Easter?”
“Not really,” the boy replied, glancing at the large, tile floor under his feet.
“Whatever for?” the bunny asked him, bewildered.
“My mommy doesn’t like me eating much candy; I want presents on Easter…like Christmas!” the child added.
“I’ll see what I can do,” the Easter Bunny told him, cringing. “Run along, now.” The bunny gazed around him at the large shopping mall. The dim area was so gloomy. Where were all the spring tulips and daisies, anyway? It was the year 2003, and the Easter Bunny was not keen on public events. The older children pulled his tail and trampled his feet on a normal basis. The smaller children were not much better; they often cried out with fright upon spotting his large build and fluffy, brown wardrobe. Aside from that, Easter evidently was not as popular as Christmas.
The bunny’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by a child’s cry of hysteria. Figuring he was the reason for the little girl’s outburst, the Easter Bunny began to turn away. He stopped when he realized what the girl’s issue was.
“Mommy, I really want that toy! It’s the Super Barbie Deluxe Set!” the child cried.
“I got you one for Christmas last year,” the mother argued.
“But I want the pink one!” the girl screamed, as she fell to the floor in fits.
“That’s all Christmas ever is,” the Easter Bunny muttered to himself, “toys, toys, toys; presents, presents, presents; greed, greed, greed. Nobody appreciates me anymore.” The bunny was clearly angry about Christmas, which tended to happen in Easterland, where the Easter Bunny lived and experienced Easter everyday in different places. The ruler of all holidays, the King of Holidays, overheard the bunny as he voiced his jealousness. In hopes of teaching the Easter Bunny a lesson, the King of Holidays sent the Easter Bunny to Christmasland in hopes of him gaining respect for holidays other than his own.
The bunny was still in the process of complaining, like a kid who did not get everything on his or her Christmas list, when he stopped to take in his surroundings. The Easter Bunny’s breath caught deep inside his throat. He was no longer inside nor was he in Easterland. In Easterland, there was lush, green grass. Instead, a vast blanket of white covered the ground. There was no sign of flowers. Instead, a large Christmas tree stood further ahead of him, a gleaming treasure chest of color. Birds were no longer singing. Instead, bells rang in the distance. The bunny could hear carolers as well.
“What have I done?” the bunny screamed, as if expecting an answer from some far-away god. His tail shook like a timid mouse in the cold air. The Easter Bunny circled the giant Christmas tree in shock, without the slightest idea of what to do.
When he finally turned, a plump and rosy Santa Clause eyed him from his gleaming, red sleigh. “I believe you’ve been sent to me,” Santa replied with a welcoming grin, “to help you learn the meaning of Christmas,” Santa Clause added, answering the bunny’s question before it arose from his fuzzy mouth. The Easter Bunny was speechless. In Easterland, it was easy to complain about Christmas. Now, in Santa Clause’s territory, ill-spirited words regarding Christmas were not so easy to utter. “Well, come with me; we’ve got a lot of work to do!” Santa exclaimed.
After eyeing the “eight tiny reindeer,” (which were actually nine, counting Rudolph) the bunny climbed awkwardly into the miniature sleigh. He found, to his great discomfort, that his feet were much too immense for the bit of space meant for the occupant’s feet. Gradually, the Easter Bunny curled his knees into such a position that would accommodate a child to his mother’s womb. By the time Santa Clause boarded the sky’s tiny parcel, the reindeer were growing restless. “On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, and Blitzen. Rudolph, lead our way!” Santa yelled with glee, “To the top of the roof, to the top of the walls! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”
The reindeer began with a quick lurch and were riding the clouds in moments. “Uncover your eyes!” exclaimed Santa Clause, as he noticed the bunny’s fear. “There’s so much to see!”
Reluctantly, the Easter Bunny glanced down at the array of city lights. “That’s incredible,” he cooed, forgetting his stubborn nature.
“Ho, ho, ho, you’re journey’s just begun,” Santa chuckled. The two flew for mere minutes before stopping in a snowy desert. “We’re here,” Santa Clause smiled.
“Where’s here?” the bunny asked with a somewhat worried expression.
“Why, the North Pole,” Santa replied, as if the destination should be quite obvious to the Easter Bunny.
“ But…there’s nothing here,” the bunny argued. Suddenly, as if in answer to his puzzlement, there was a rumbling underneath them.
“What was that?” the Easter Bunny cried. He stared at the reindeer, which he figured would be startled as well. However, all nine of them seemed unnaturally calm. In fact, they seemed to be smiling. The bunny tried to reason with himself. Reindeer don’t smile, do they?
The sleigh began to lower itself. By now, the bunny was flabbergasted. He supposed there was nothing to do but wait, as the sleigh was sucked downward into the unknown depths of the North Pole’s underground world. Now, the Easter Bunny could see a dim light appearing around him. This was no tunnel; they were in a vast underground room. Loud cheering was coming from below. When the bunny looked downward, he was met with the expectant gazes of hundreds of tiny people. They all were dressed in silky, green robes; brown, furry shoes; and pointy, green hats, where their pointy ears poked out from them.
“Mr. Clause, Mr. Clause!” every one of them cheered with enthusiasm. The bunny now knew exactly where he was: Santa’s workshop. These miniature people must make all the toys that those greedy children always seem to wish for. The sleigh, which was actually positioned on a platform-like object, came to a halt. Elves flocked toward the sleigh, asking tons of questions that Santa Clause answered without flinching.
After what seemed like hours of confusion, the Easter Bunny finally found himself in the office of “Mr. Clause.” Files took up what seemed like every spare bit of red shag rug that remained with Santa and the bunny occupying the room. The innocent faces of young ones plastered the walls. If it were not for Santa Clause’s perfected reputation, the Easter Bunny would have mistaken him for some kind of lunatic pedophile. Santa handed the bunny a list. “Check it twice,” Santa Clause chuckled.
The list was enormous, with names of children scrolled neatly across the parchment. The Easter Bunny looked at the list in astonishment to absorb the countless folds of paper. The remnants of tree climbed halfway to the ceiling. “How can I possibly read all this?” the bunny cried. “What am I supposed to check for?”
“Why, who’s naughty or nice,” Santa Clause answered matter-of-factly. The Easter Bunny gave Santa a helpless look and sat down next to the endless pile of paper.
“Mr. Bunny, do you realize why you’re here?” Santa Clause questioned in a soothing tone.
“I guess so,” the bunny whispered.
“You need to learn the Christmas spirit, or you’ll stay in Christmasland. Then, there would be no Easter,” Santa stared at the Easter Bunny to make sure he understood. When the bunny gave a solemn nod, he continued, “Until you make peace with the King of Holidays, I have some tasks for you to complete; they just might bring forth the Christmas spirit in you.”
“What kind of tasks?” the bunny asked suspiciously.
“Ho, ho, ho, you are a lively one,” Santa Clause remarked as he twisted his cotton-like beard, “You’ll come with me on my everyday route, learning the tricks of the trade.” What followed was a number of activities revolving around Christmas. These included list reading, toy making, caring for the reindeer, sleigh polishing, descending the insides of chimneys, eating cookies and milk, present wrapping, sleigh packing, and the delivery of presents. The Easter Bunny helped with everything—except consuming the cookies and milk. Santa made it clear that that task was his own. Besides, the bunny would much rather have carrots and water for a late-night snack.
One night, while the Easter Bunny was edging carefully down a red brick chimney with the help of Santa’s magic, he smiled. “This job isn’t as easy as I thought it would be,” the bunny whispered to himself. The Easter Bunny perked up his ears as far as the tight chimney enclosure would allow. Soft bells chimed in the distance; Santa Clause chuckled his merry laugh; “I love you’s” were uttered between two lovers.
Santa stood in the Peterson’s living room, waiting for the bunny. His eyes twinkled because he knew the real reason the Easter Bunny still occupied the chimney: The Easter Bunny was witnessing Christmasland through the perspective of Santa Clause. Santa placed his velvety red sack on the ground and began unloading presents. He expected what was to come.
The Easter Bunny never did come down from the chimney that night. Instead, a single relenting tear parted the dark fur on his face, and he was sent back to Easterland. The Easter Bunny never forgot his Christmas spirit because Santa Clause had warmed his heart with bliss forever.