I must have missed something, when did Easter become Christmas 2.0? I'm all for celebrations, obviously, I write about them every week in The Catch-Up. But the Easter explosion this year feels next level.

Apparently now we do Easter bunny photos? And I can't get my hands on a pair of winter pajamas free of an Easter bunny print. Even Nike have released a pair of Air Force 1 Easter shoes (which are very funky but I refuse to get on principal.)

Next thing we know we'll be getting the lights out and having Easter light competitions and Easter carols.

Gone are the days of one oversized Easter eggs left by the Easter bunny and fending off your brother for the mini ones hidden around the house.

I should say, I have been enjoying the mini Easter eggs and hot cross buns, but explaining why my daughter can't have a chocolate bunny every time we've been to the supermarket since February is a little bit exhausting.

So this means one of two things, I'm either turning middle aged (believable) or it really is out of control.

It's April, we've just recovered from Christmas and New Year and a year with too many interest rate hikes. Who now has the money to fork out for ALL OF THE EASTER activities, and the eggs, and the commemorative pajamas and photos?

Don't get me wrong, I love an Easter tradition. My mum, ahem the Easter bunny, got us books every year at Easter time, and this is something I'm doing with my children. I love an Easter egg hunt.

But the marketing pressure and the expectation of "creating beautiful memories" is too much and not something our hip pocket or our mental load need.

Market research company Roy Morgan reported earlier this month that Aussie families are predicted to spend over $2 billion on Easter treats this year.

"Despite cost-of-living pressures, Australian families will splash out on Easter treats this year, tipped to spend $2.05 billion on hot cross buns, Easter eggs or other special food (up 23.5 per cent) - approximately $400 million more than in 2023," the report reads.

"New South Wales is tipped to spend $640 million, at an average of $114 per head."

It will be the 18 to 34 year-old age bracket who are predicted to spend the most on Easter treats at about $136 a head.

(This is slightly more in my family given that I bought all the Easter eggs, left them in the car while I attended an event and then came back to a pool of chocolate in my boot, but that's a story for another day...)

From a parenting point of view, the thought of doing more this Easter is alarming to me. My mental capacity is full. I am dragging my feet to the Easter long weekend, until the end of daylight savings, until a mini holiday with my little family. If you want to add a myriad festivities in the lead up, I will just have to say "no thanks" and unwrap my mini Easter egg while watching the rest of season three of Morning Wars.

This Easter, I will be getting egg-cited with my little people. But you won't find the specialty pajamas or the commemorative photos at my place...next year could be a different story, who knows?

- Grace Ryan, ACM