By: Scott Butler
As an Adult I have so many fond memories of Easter. Dying eggs, hunting for the “Golden” Egg (which doubled as a panty hose container) in Grandma’s Tulip patch, which always sent Grandma into a tizzy, and of course the annual visit to the Legendary Super Creepy Mall Bunny.
I’ve always loved Easter as it represents a great and special time of year. Now as a Dad, I always want to take my kids memories to a whole new dimension and I want to share with them the things I cherished when I was their age. Including the Mall Bunny.
Hippity Hoppity Hooray, the Easter Bunny is on the way. Anyone that knows my youngest knows that when we walk anywhere, year ’round we must sing “Here comes Hardy Cottontail…” So as we entered the mall for the obligatory creepy mall bunny photo, we’re happy, we’re singing, we’re focused. We’re dressed in our Sunday best and as most parents know, just getting us all there is a major accomplishment.
We approach the line which snakes around past the toy store and is 30 deep. We join the crowd of grumbling, overstressed looking parents and fidgity, impatient kids to await our turn with the White, Furry Felt bundle of fun. We aren’t there long before my sons realize we’re standing in front of a toy store. “Focus,” I tell them.. “Not much longer…” But no matter how hard I try, or the fact that the Grand Poo Bah of Holiday Mascots is just feet away, the allure of the little stuffed bunny in the window of the toy store is way more enticing. But being the always prepared Boy Scout of a Dad that I am, I was prepared. A basic brown bag of M & M’s. Victory is mine. Let the Bribery begin.
As the line slowly inches forward my M&M rationing skills pay off as I manage to feed 2 boys one bag and time it perfectly with our turn. We’re next. As we get ready to jump up and take our picture, I do a quick once over.. Shirts still on, only one shoe off, M&M’s that melted on their face and hands as well as in their mouth.. Not too bad, I think to myself, as I use my own shirt to wipe their faces. We’re all set. It’s time to meet the Easter Bunny. As we step up, my inquisitive middle child continues to bombard me with questions:
How does he Jump?
How does he dye all of those eggs?
Is this the Real Easter bunny or just a helper?
How tall is the Real Easter Bunny?
My reply? Ask the bunny.
I wasn’t sure how my kids would react when they came face to face with the bunny himself so I did what every good parent does, shoved them into the lap of a creepy stranger dressed in a bunny suit and yelled “Smile,” hoping that I could get just one “good” picture of them. I wasn’t planning to be greedy. I didn’t need smiles, just wanted them all looking my way with something less than a horrified expression on their faces.
50 pictures later and with a line full of aggravated Moms behind me, I got what I came for. My trophy, my picture, the unforgettable memory I have created for them. Or was it for me?
Either way, it was completely worth every second.
Enjoy these examples of Creepy Mall Bunnies:
About Scott:
Scott is a Local Real Estate Agent and BirminghamDaddy to 3 active boys. He juggles his busy schedule of listing houses with running his boys to their sports du jour. Scott is also the sports photographer for Homewood Highschool and many other local events, if you see him around, say cheese!
